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TNCIDENTS in the 
Life of an Officer 

of the United States Navy. 



0£C 10 1917 

©GI.A481094 



Journals and Letters of 

Commodore Holland Newton Stevenson, 

United States Navy, Retired, 

Together With a Sketch 
of His Life. 



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Copyrighted by Hattie C. Stevenson, 1917. 



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PRINTED AND BOUND BY 

EAGLE PRINTING AND BINDING CO. 

PITTSFIELD, MASS. 




Holland Newton Steveinson G. EI. 
commodore: u.s. naw 

18^4- tSH 





VALPARAISO— View of the Tops of the Hills 

The hills in the rear of the city rise to the height of three and four 
thousand feet, and to reach their summits you must go up in zig-zags. 




VALPARAISO— General View of Water Front of the Whole City 



Sketch 



This sketch of Commodore Holland Newton Stevenson is 
printed to give to his friends a more intimate knowledge of the 
interesting events of a life spent in an earnest endeavor to be of 
use to his country and value to his fellowmen. 

Commodore Stevenson died in San Francisco, October 3rd, 
1911. He was born at Cambridge, Washington county, New 
York, September 3rd, 1844, the oldest son of Seraph Huldah 
Newton and John McAllister Stevenson. 

Commodore Stevenson entered Rensselaer Polytechnic in- 
stitute at Troy, N. Y., in the fall of 1863, from which he was 
graduated in the class of 1866, being given the degree of Civil 
Engineer. He was appointed to the United States Naval Acad- 
emy in the newly formed class of Engineer students on October 
10th, 1866, and was graduated and given a diploma from that 
institution June 2nd, 1868. 

At the close of the Civil War the government felt the need 
of increasing its force of Engineers in the Navy and offered ap- 
pointments to graduates of engineering and scientific institu- 
tions to enter the service. Under the new arrangement Com- 
modore Stevenson entered the first class appointed by the Navy 
department. 

His first cruise was on the "Dacotah", South Pacific Sta- 
tion. When the ship was at Callao, Peru, in March, 1869, he 
was detailed by Admiral Turner to accompany an expedition sent 
out by the Peruvian government to explore the head waters of 
the Amazon River. The expedition was gone about three 
months, crossing the Andes on mules over what is now practically 
the route of the Meigs railroad. They reached the head waters 
of the Amazon River, but were compelled to retreat on account 
of the hostile action of the native Indians. He wrote a full ac- 
count of what he learned and saw" on that trip, which is now on 
file with the department in Washington. He also kept a copy 
of this report which is printed in part in the following pages, to- 
gether with a journal of his first cruise. 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




VALPARAISO AS SEEN FROM "CERRO CONCEPCION" THEATRE 




VALPARAISO FROM THE "PANTEON" OR CEMETERY 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 




CITY HALL AND POST OFFICE, VALPARAISO 



From 1891 to 1894 he was on the "Alhance," Pacific and 
China Stations, coming home from China on that ship around 
Cape Horn. This ship, of which he was Chief Engineer, was in 
the harbor of Apia, Samoan Islands, at the time of the Great 
Tidal Wave. His prompt action in getting up steam enabled 
the ship to put to sea and escape damage or destruction. For 
this he received special commendation. 

When on the China station he had the privilege of going 
to the interior of Corea, on an expedition representing the United 
States. Seoul, the capital, and other places were visited, the 
government officials and citizens showing them every courtesy. 
His special part was to investigate the possibility of finding coal 
deposits. 

His last service at sea was from May, 1898, to June 5, 1899, 
on the monitor "Monterey," of which he was Chief Engineer on 
its memorable trip of fifty-seven days from San Francisco to 
Manila, during the Spanish war. This was the first monitor to 
cross the ocean; it arrived in first class condition, ready for bat- 



10 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

tie. Its officers and crew received the commendation of Com- 
modore Dewey for the successful trip and the condition in which 
it arrived. 

Commodore Stevenson returned from Manila in June, 1899, 
and from that date until his retirement was stationed as Chief In- 
spector of machinery at the Union iron works in San Francisco. 

During the period of his last station in San Francisco he 
was detailed as a member of the special board appointed to in- 
vestigate the feasibility of using oil for fuel on naval vessels. 
He was also detailed as Chairman of the board of inquiry on 
the explosion of the boilers of the Bennington in San Diego har- 
bor, by which over one hundred lives were lost. 

He saw, during his time of service, the recognition of the 
engineering corps when they were granted equal rank with line 
officers, by the personnel bill of 1899. During the different 
cruises he saw many parts of the world. It was his pleasure to 
take an interest in these different countries and become informed 
in regard to the history, habits and lives of the people. It 
was equally his pleasure to write to his friends and relatives of 
what he saw and learned on these journeys. Many of his letters 
have been preserved and are interesting reading in the light of 
the growth and changes which have occurred since they were 
written. 



Journal of First Cruise 

On the 3rd of July, 1866, I with sixteen of my classmates, 
forming the Class of '66, were graduated from the "Rensselaer 
Polytechnic Institute" at Troy, New York, with the degree of 
"Civil Engineer." During the succeeding summer the Navy 
Department offered inducements for young men, "Graduates of 
Scientific Schools," to enter the Engineer Corps of the Navy. 
They were to be instructed in theory and practice of their pro- 
fession for two years at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., 
and then be graduated and commissioned as Second Assistant 
Engineers. Under these inducements a class of sixteen was 
formed and given the appointments of "Acting Third Assistant 
Engineers" dated October 10th, 1866. We pursued these studies 
during the required time, passed all the examinations, and 
finally were graduated and warranted as Third Assistant Engi- 
neers dating from June 2nd, 1868. We formed what was known 
as the Engineer Class. The following are our names in order of 
graduation: Chas. D. Bray, A. B., Geo. S. Gates, Herschel 
Main, Francis N. Trevor, C. E., Theron Skeel, C. E., Holland 
N. Stevenson, C. E., Frank J. Symmes, John Q. A. Ford, C. E., 
Chas. J. Purdie, Julien S. Ogden, Chas. W. Rae, C. E., Geo. H. 
Kearney, C. E., Jones Godfrey, Wm. S. Moore, Cyrus D. Foss, 
John B. Peck, A. B. 

On receiving our warrants instead of commissions, several 
sent in their resignations but they were peremptorilly refused, 
which scared off the rest of us from doing the same; and we had 
to accept our warrants with the promise of our commissions after 
one year's sea service. I received my warrant about the 1st of 
July, 1868, and on the receipt of my acceptance by the Depart- 
ment, orders were issued to me to sail from New York on July 
24th and join the U. S. S. "Mohongo" 3rd rate at San Francisco. 
This order was dated July 2nd, 1868. On the 9th of July this 
order was modified so that I was transferred from the "Mohongo" 
to the "Dacotah" in the South Pacific Squadron, changing 
places with J. B. Peck, who wished to go on the same vessel, the 



12 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

"Mohongo," with Bray, Peck having first been ordered to the 
"Dacotah." Peck effected this change and I knew nothing of 
it until I read the modified orders. I left New York on July 
^4th and arrived at this Port — Valparaiso on August 27th and 
now on September 23rd, have commenced to write this journal 
from memory and notes in my diary. 

July ^^nd, 1868. 

The last three weeks have been spent in making my prepara- 
tions and getting my outfit, which I have thought best to reduce 
to the least amount practicable, and my total effects weigh only 
115 lbs. This morning I spent in packing my trunk. x\ll said 
good bye with a feeling very gratifying, and Dr. George, my 
brother John and I passed away from the sight of the house and 
home. John accompanied me to New York, and we left Cam- 
bridge at 2 p. m., arriving in Troy an hour later. We arrived 
in New York the next morning on the steamer "Drew." 

July 23rd. 

We proceeded to the Astor House where I soon met "Jones" 
Godfrey, Symmes and many others who intend to sail with us to- 
morrow. Symmes and I went to the Navy agents, drew our 
mileage and got transportation papers, then we went up to the 
Company's office. Pier 42, and secured our staterooms. We being 
only warrant officers were entitled to Second Cabin passage only. 
We paid the difference, and took First Cabin passage. 

Jidy lUh. 

We left the Astor House at 10.30 a. m., and went to Pier 
42, North River, arriving in the midst of a scene of the wildest 
confusion and disorder; carriages constantly arriving, mail carts 
and baggage wagons, discharging their loads, porters running 
here and there with trunks, old women jabbering about their 
bandboxes, men swearing about their trunks, the roar of the es- 
caping steam, the rattle of the chains on the hoisting cranes, 
might well confuse any but a clear head. I took charge of our 
baggage and soon saw it all ascend, swing over the ship and 
rapidly descend somewhere into the interior. At 12 m. the 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 13 

gong sounded and '*A11 ashore that's going" rang from one end 
to the other of the ship. I said good-bye to John, he passed 
down the gangway and was soon lost to my sight. The last I 
saw of my native land was the rays of Barnegat light just 
visible above the watery horizon, and they finally faded away 
about 10 p. ni., and thus I passed out into the deep sea on my 
first ocean voyage. The following are the names of the naval 
officers, passengers on the Pacific Mail Company's Steamer 
"Rising Star" sailing from N. Y. July 24th, 1868. Chief Engr. 
John S. Alberet to be Lieut Comd'r C. A. Babcok, Lieut. Comd'r 
Walter Abbot, Lieut. N. M. Dyer, 1st Asst. Engr. James Butter- 
worth, Master William H. Brownson, Asst. Surgeon J. A. Hawke, 
Ensign H. R. Baker, Ensign W. A. Morgan, Ensign Asa Walker, 
3rd Asst. Engr. C. D. Bray, 3rd Asst. Engr. G. S. Gates, 3rd 
Asst. Engr. H. Main, 3rd Asst. Engr. F. N. Trevor, 3rd Asst. 
Engr. Theron Skeel, 3rd Asst. Engr. H. N. Stevenson, 3rd Asst. 
Engr. F. J. Symmes, 3rd Asst. Engr. J. Q. A. Ford, 3rd Asst. 
Engr. C. F. Purdie, 3rd Asst. Engr. J. S. Ogden, 3rd Asst. Engr. 
G. H. Kearny, 3rd Asst. Engr. Jones Godfrey, 3rd Asst. Engr. 
C. D. Foss, 3rd Asst. Engr. J. B. Peck, twenty-four in all, and 
including all my class except Rae and Moore. Rae came to New 
York while we were there, and was with us until we sailed. He 
was under orders to join the "Contoocook," Flag Ship, North Atlan- 
tic, at Norfolk. Moore was not ordered up to the time we sailed. 

Julij l^th. 

The ship had considerable motion, and the breakfast table 
was quite slim, not more than half our party being present. 
We are getting down towards Cape Hatteras and the sky is over 
cast, the ship pitching quite badly. 

Sunday, July Wth. 

Quite forgot the day until called to mind about 3 p. m. At 
dinner one or two of our party appeared but all left the table very 
soon. A wet, rainy, dark and disagreeable day. 

Monday, July 11. 

At dinner all our party appeared except Peck and Bray and 
we were ciuite a jolly crowd once again. Nothing of special inter- 



14 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

est during the rest of the trip to Aspinwall. On the 29th we 
passed close to Long Island, and that night through Crooked Is- 
land passage. On the 30th we passed close to Eastern End of 
Isle of Cuba. On Sunday night, Aug. 2nd, about 9.30 p. m., we 
ran into Aspinwall harbor, made signals, then stood out to sea 
again; came to anchor, and passed the night. Thus tomorrow 
morning will end a tedious journey for five hundred and seventy- 
three passengers, on a miserably uncomfortable, badly appointed 
and worse attended steamer. This does not reflect credit to the 
Company or to our nation. 

Aug. 3rd, Monday. 

I awoke early and looking out of the air port found the 
steamer under way and at 7.30 a. m. we arrived at Company's 
wharf at Aspinwall, or Colon as the English call the town. The 
air has a very peculiar damp, sultry feeling, very enervating and 
I do not wonder at the lazy look and manners of the Jamaica ne- 
groes employed on the wharf. Their dress consisted of white 
shirt and white trousers and notwithstanding their lazy look, pre- 
sented a very neat appearance. I scarcely believed when I read 
Martin Chuzzlewit that I should ever see any town on the face 
of the globe that bore the least resemblance to the "City of Eden" 
so graphically described by Dickens, but such a city (?) is Aspin- 
wall, built on made ground along the sea beach of a swampy 
island, consisting principally of two streets parallel to the water 
edge with several cross streets connecting them. All these 
streets are raised several feet above the level of the swamp which 
still exists in the rectangle between them in all its native ugli- 
ness. All the natives live for is to swindle travelers, as we soon 
found out to the curse of some of our party. At 11 a. m. the 
train was advertised to leave, which was to carry us across the 
isthmus and the intervening time was spent by us wandering 
around among the grog shops, so called hotels, company's 
workshops, &c., and back to the edge of the swamp where we 
gathered some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. 
At 11.30 our train started and we commenced our journey over 
the isthmus to the city of Panama, a distance of forty-seven 
miles. The railroad runs through a great variety of tropical 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 1.5 

scenery, at first through an ahiiost impenetrable swamp, a com- 
plete jungle, then after striking the Chagres River follows its 
tortuous course leaving the swamps and coming to the high 
ground. The railroad is a good one, and is kept in good condi- 
tion; the rolling stock is all American and I saw on the cars and 
engines the names of builders very familiar in the states. The 
description of the tropical vegetation and scenery is altogether 
beyond my powers. One thing I noticed, that is the great variety 
of parasites clinging to the tall stately trees, some of them hang- 
ing in slender pendants for fully forty to fifty feet. The forest 
and undergrowth is kept down for a distance of some forty or 
fifty feet on each side of the line. Owing to a heavy rain two days 
before which carried away a culvert near the center of the line we 
spent most of the day on the train waiting for it to be repaired, 
which was accomplished about sundown. About 4 p. m. there 
came on a heavy rain which added to our misery, for we had had 
nothing to eat since breakfast and could not get anything for love 
or money. Many of the passengers sufl^ered severely, especially 
the women and children. But at last we got over the dangerous 
place and at 9.30 we were in a New York omnibus bound for the 
Grand Hotel, Panama, as fast as two lean mules could draw us, 
urged by the whip and words of our impatient driver. Some 
fifteen minutes was thus occupied and we stepped out at the 
porch of the Grand Hotel. We soon had a good supper served 
and so great was the contrast with the day's miseries that we 
thought we were in paradise and so we were. Ten of our party 
were to leave us here, bound for San Francisco, the steamer leav- 
ing tonight. I walked down to the wharf with them, bade them 
good-bye and then returned to the hotel, only stopping to inspect 
a "Dignity" or Jamaica Negro ball. I slept that night if ever I 
slept. We found that the southern steamer had sailed the day 
before so we must wait until August 10th and so came my first 
sleep, where I could stretch out, for over ten days. I slept on 
the lounge in my stateroom on account of its being much cooler. 

Tuesday, Aug. Mh. 

Early this morning I was awakened by a horrid jangling noise 
which I soon found out to be the bells of the churches, each being 



16 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

rung after the manner of a fire alarm, and I, being an old ''fire 
butcher' soon recognized the once welcome sound. I seized my 
clothes, rushed to the shutter, looked out and found there was 
no fire, not a soul was to be seen in the plaza; so I again turned 
in, afterwards finding out that it was the method of ringing bells 
for mass. Each church has from five to twelve bells and there 
are some dozen churches, and some eight or ten times each day 
they send up a young muchacho (boy) for each bell to hammer 
away with a big maul until he gets tired; the effect is grand (over 
the left). We thought at first another revolution had broken out 
and that some native had become patriotic and wanted to be 
president. We soon got used to it as one will to anything. 

The Grand Hotel is a new institution built some three or 
four years ago and is a very fine hotel. The rooms are high, 
roomy, clean, comfortable, while the table seemed to us to be the 
best we had ever seen — we did not live well on the "Rising Star" 
— too many stews, "scouces," &c. There is neither a window 
nor a chimney in the house. Each room fronts on the balcony 
and has several doors made after the fashion of Venetian blinds. 
Stoves we did not need. The weather is warm, sultry and 
damp, and until 4 or 5 p. m. we never went out of our rooms but 
stayed about them in the most comfortable attire possible, essen- 
tially nature's own. Many of the children up to ten and twelve 
years go about the streets perfectly naked and nobody blushes. 

It is now the rainy season and we are constantly having 
showers with the sharpest thunder and lightning I have ever 
seen, so we could not get off the U. S. ship "Cyane" to report to 
the senior officer present, as the flag ship has gone south, and 
we took a walk around some of the old churches nearest to the 
hotel. 

Wednesday, Aug. 5th. 

Today we went off to the "Cyane" and reported to Comd'r 
Waters, U. S. N., who gave us orders and transportation to pro- 
ceed to Valparaiso. 

The intervening time to Monday, Aug. 10th, we spent in 
rambling about amongst the ruins of the former greatness of 
Panama. The city of old Panama was commenced early in the 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 17 

16th century and was the first city built by Europeans on the 
American continent, although several colonies had been founded 
on the eastern side of the Isthmus before this. This city rose in 
wealth and importance until in 1661 it was destroyed by Morgan 
the pirate and buccaneer, and immediately after the site of a 
new town seven miles from the old one was chosen and the present 
city of Panama was commenced. Measures were taken to fight 
more effectively the attacks of future pirates by building a sys- 
tem of defences, a heavy wall all about the city. This wall 
still stands as do many of the ancient works connected with the 
defensive system, all in good state of preservation. We com- 
menced our rambles at the gate and fortress of San Antonio, the 
entrance from the lower side, and each day took up our explora- 
tions from the point where we left off; in this way we did the 
old walls; we then took the town by sections and explored the 
old churches, convents and muros of which there are numerous 
ruins; some five or six of these have fallen into disuse, and of 
others they use merely a small part of the old edifice. Every 
church in town has a sad look of desolation and decline about it; 
every one of them has been robbed of all its old treasures, and 
they all present a base look. I must except in a measure the 
cathedral, the most recent structure and in the best state of pre- 
servation. The building was completed about one hundred 
years ago, and contains beneath its floor the bones of many of 
the early settlers, proud Spanish families, the descendants of 
whom now degenerated, claim still the family pride and renown 
with few, very few of their good qualities. 

Monday, August lOth. 

The steam tender "Morro" was advertised to leave the wharf 
at 11 a. m. to convey us to the island of Toboga, nine miles off, 
where we were to take the steamer "Limena" of the Pacific Steam 
Navigation Company's line. The tides at Panama rise and fall 
about twenty feet, which makes it necessary for the large steam- 
ers to lie some miles from the shore, and all freight and passengers 
have to be conveyed to them on tugs and lighters, which can only 
leave the single wharf at certain stages of the tide; this made it 
necessary for us to leave at about 11 a. m. The trip down the 



18 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

bay of Panama to the steamer was very pleasant and but for 
one thing would have been enjoyed by us five Third Assistant 
Engineers. Being only warrant officers we, as on the "Rising 
Star," were entitled to only Second Class or Second Cabin pas- 
sage. Our first fears were more than realized on getting aboard 
the "Limena," when we found out what "Segunda Classa" 
meant. The quarters were forward, and to get to them we had 
to pass amongst the deck load of cattle, &c, and there found for 
companions as nasty and dirty a set of Dagos as I wish to fall in 
with. The difference in gold for First Class passage was one 
hundred and twenty dollars and I had just two dollars and forty 
cents. It was our opinion that we were entitled to First Class 
Second Saloon, but it was too late to remedy the matter now 
and we had to make up our minds to bear it as "philosophers" as 
Jones Godfrey would say. The Order of the Department as- 
signing warrant officers to the Second Cabin had reference to the 
steamers from New York to San Francisco, and Paymaster's 
Clerk Foster at Panama took the literal meaning of the order, he 
being like all the rest afraid to take the least bit of responsibility. 
He was acting paymaster, as the head paymaster had died or 
gone home sick. At about 9 p. m. we got under way. We went 
to supper at 6 p. m. and such a supper and such company I do 
not want to see again. When we thought of turning in we found 
empty bunks with no bedding of any description, another nice 
thing. I could not stand it so took the sofa in Morgan's and 
Baker's room and kept it as long as I stayed aboard. It was 
not the hard "grub" or bad quarters that hurt us so much as it 
was the marked difference shown in the treatment of the two 
classes of passengers, and the evident desire of the Department 
in seeking to economize by requiring American Naval Officers to 
travel in English steamers in the steerage, another point in which 
the Department has shown its desire to fulfill its part of the 
original agreement with us. Baker and Morgan had many a 
laugh and joke at our expense, especially about the cow which 
stood in front of the door to our palace. On the 13th between 5 
and 6 a. m. we passed the Equator and having run into the Ant- 
arctic current and south wind the day before, the night was cool 
and at the very time we passed the line I lay shivering with the 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 19 

cold. Quite a change from Panama. After sighting Cape San 
Francisco we followed the coast within a few miles all the way 
down to Valparaiso. At 8.30 p. m., the 13th, we ran into the 
harbor of Payta, Peru, and the next morning went ashore and 
had a breakfast that was a breakfast, and if ever five fellows 
went through a pile they did it then. The landlord of the only 
hotel didn't make much out of us at sixty cents a head. After 
breakfast we went about the town and laid in a stock of pro- 
visions to last to Callao. Payta is a small city of about two 
thousand inhabitants and of considerable commercial impor- 
tance. 

Monday, Aug. 17 th. 

After lunch all hands were forward looking out for Callao, 
which gradually arose out of the water. All our officers were 
busy with their glasses looking for the flag ship and other vessels 
of our squadron. Great was our joy when the "Powhattan" was 
discovered. What we were going to do we had made up our 
minds ere this. At 3 p. m. we came to anchor and soon were 
breaking out our trunks for our naval gear, which being put on 
we went on board the "Powhattan" and reported to Rear Admiral 
Thomas Turner, to whom we made a verbal report on our 
quarters. I saw L. L. Smith, 2nd Asst., who used to be at the 
Academy; Pemberton and others were on shore. 

Tuesday, Aug. ISth. 

Symmes, Gates and I drew cuts to see who should go aboard 
the flag ship to see about our quarters; it fell to Symmes. He 
returned with the Flag Lieut., who made &n inspection and made 
a report in writing to the Admiral; we doing the same. We 
sent this to the Admiral with a certificate from the Purser of the 
"Limena" that we had been furnished with steerage passage. 
At 1 p. m. the fleet paymaster, Mr. Jackson, came on and took 
a look at our tickets; I went ashore and at sundown returned 
with them changed and entitling us to 1st Class passage. Sym- 
mes and Gates having gone to Lima, Trevor and Purdie, with 
others going to the same ship, were ordered to wait in Callao for 
the arrival of the "Nyack." 



20 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

Wednesday, August 19th. 

Took a short run ashore with Baker and Morgan, but did 
not see much of the town. Took a stroll through the fortifica- 
tions. 

The "Limena" goes into dock, so the freight and passengers 
were transferred to the S. S. "Chile" of the same line. 

In the evening the S. S. "Peru" arrived from the south and 
brought bad news of the destruction of towns, property and 
lives all along the coast. We learned of the stranding of the 
U. S. S. "Wateeree" washed ashore high and dry and the store 
ship LT. S. S. "Fredonia" sunk at Arica, which town is totally des- 
troyed. The earthquake and wave were felt at Callao but did 
very little damage. 

Thursday, Aug. "iOth. 

All the naval officers for the "Nyack" and "Fredonia" were 
ordered to take passage on the "Fowhattan" for x\rica. I went 
ashore and telegraphed to Furdie and Trevor who had gone to 
Lima to await the arrival of the "Nyack." We sailed from Cal- 
lao at 5 p. m. on Aug. '20th, passing the island of San Lorenzo out 
to sea when we went to dinner. 

Friday, Aug. '21st. 

The great difference between the comfort of this steamer 
as compared with the "Rising Star" is noticeable in many re- 
spects. The servants are civil and willing to wait on you, and 
there are enough of them to attend to all. The "Chile" is a 
fine specimen of what an ocean passenger steamer should be; 
she is a very fine sea boat, and runs along at ten to eleven knots 
per hour; the discipline is excellent, and every pains is taken to 
make the passengers comfortable; she is provided with a good 
library open to all who choose to read. We had plenty, in fact 
too much, to eat. 

Sunday, Aug. 'iSrd. 

We arrived at Arica this morning at 8.30 a. m. and after 
breakfast went ashore to see the ruins of the town. The cause 
of all this destruction was an earthquake which occurred on 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 21 

Thursday, Aug. 13th, a Httle after 5 o'clock, which shook the 
town and caused many houses to fall. This shock was followed 
in a few hours by a tidal wave estimated from forty to sixty feet 
in height, which swept over the town and completed the des- 
truction. This wave did the most damage and caused the loss to 
the shipping. From the ship not a house is to be seen that looks 
at all complete. On reaching the mole or landing place we had to 
climb up its ruined timbers and over rubbish of all sorts before 
we reached firm ground. Here we met many of the officers of the 
"Kearsarge," "Nyack" and "Wateeree." From the ship the bay 
looks semi-circular in form, the town being at the right hand. 
About two miles to the left of the town and one-half mile from 
shore sits the U. S. S. "Wateeree" (3rd rate) one thousand and 
thirty tons and ten guns. Owing to her sound bottom she sits as 
straight on ground as on the water, and one who was not acquaint- 
ed with her situation would imagine she was lying in some inlet or 
river. She had her colors flying and sails bent. She was not 
damaged to any great extent, being saved by the coolness and 
good discipline of her officers and crew; not a man flinched or 
drew back from any duty assigned him. In a line between the 
"Wateeree" and shore and about half way lies the Peruvian Cor- 
vette "America" a complete wreck, damaged beyond recovery. 
Many lives were lost on her. About half way from the "Watee- 
ree" to the town lies a bark badly damaged, the "Charnicillo", 
English. Several other vessels were washed down and few 
traces remain of them, among them the U. S. Store Ship "Fre- 
donia" to which Baker and Morgan were ordered. The "Wa- 
teeree" being a "double ender" has two rudders, and with the 
wave she went in shore and with the return came back; this she 
did several times and whichever way she went could by the use of 
her two rudders keep her head to the sea. In this way she was 
landed safe, her crew standing by nobly to do what was ordered. 
On the "America" not a man of her crew could be found to 
stand by her helm, and her officers did the best they could. 
Many of the crew were lost. The sea broke over the store ship 
and swept her down like a flash of lightning. Her Commander, 
Capt. Doty, was ashore. After the shock her doctor and pay- 
master got a boat and tried to have Acting Masters Dyer and 



22 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

Organ with Mrs. Dyer, who was aboard, leave for shore, but Dyer 
and Organ refused. Then they tried to have Mrs. Dyer, but she 
laughed at their fright. They, with a boat's crew, went ashore 
and took to the high land. They and Capt. Doty alone were 
saved of her crew. After we had reached the shore we could not 
distinguish a street; they were all filled with rubbish. The track 
of the railroad which goes to Tucan, ninety miles, is completely 
gone for seventeen miles in shore. The force of the wave was 
great enough to overturn and carry some rods, heavy locomotives 
and cars. Heavy iron columns that once belonged in the stone 
custom house lay about where you least expected them. We 
came to the church on the plaza and while hunting for relics and 
curiosities, I chanced to look up to its shattered walls. I saw 
some of the loose stone on top trembling in two places, as if ready 
to come down. As shocks are being felt all the time we hurried 
away. 

The town is in possession of the native Indians who have 
come from the interior to plunder. The inhabitants flying 
to the interior, in every direction we went we could see the effects 
of this plundering; empty boxes, broken open, safes torn apart. 
We even saw them at work, breaking out boxes, vessels and any- 
thing they could lay their hands on with a prospect of plunder. 
We picked up a great many relics and saw scores of others if we 
had had time to get them aboard the ship. I stopped to examine 
a ledger and from its looks I judged it was a ledger of the custom 
house. It had entries dated Aug. 13th, the day of the shock. I 
saw many other account books and bundles of paper lying about 
and blown about by the wind. Gates in making his explorations 
caught hold of a dead man's leg. The stench in many parts 
of the town was unbearable. It is impossible to estimate the 
loss of life, but it must have been very great. The town contain- 
ed about ten thousand inhabitants. Acting Master Organ was 
drowned and his body washed ashore. His friends took charge 
of it and had it properly laid out, and placed in the ruins of the 
church. During the night the Dagos or natives broke in, strip- 
ped the body of all its clothing and left it lying on the ground. 
This is a fair example of what Dagos are. All our officers go 
armed with many revolvers. The Consuls of the diflferent na- 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 23 

tions are living, as does everybody, in tents on the high ground 
back of the town and appear in any clothes they can lay hold of. 
I would have liked to spend several days about the town to con- 
tinue my explorations but we had to return to the steamer after 
being ashore two and one-half hours. I should like to have visit- 
ed the old cemetery where are washed about the bodies and mum- 
mies of the early Spaniards and Inca Indians placed there before 
the Spaniards came, but could not as we sailed at 12.30 p. m. The 
feelings awakened by this disaster I can never forget. The 
rumors that reached us and which were subsequently confirmed, 
gave accounts of great destruction along the coast from Chile 
to Equador. About 9 o'clock this evening just as I was opening 
the door to my stateroom I felt the ship tremble and everything 
rattled as if the ship was going to pieces. This I noticed twice 
in quick succession and knew that it was caused by nothing 
about the ship and that it must be an earthquake. I rushed on 
deck and found everybody on the qui rive to see what was the 
matter. With the sights I had seen this day and the shocks just 
felt, I did not sleep as quietly and comfortably as I have on some 
occasions I can remember. 

Thursday, Aug. 11 th. 

Ever since lunch all hands have been on the lookout for signs 
of Valparaiso. At 3.40 p. m. we arrived in port, passing near the 
U. S. S.'s "Dacotah" and "Tuscarora." As soon as we could get 
on our naval gear we went off to the "Dacotah" and reported. 
The persons that we are to relieve have been on her over three 
years by some months and were very glad to see us, and were not 
long in finding out which was each relief. Potts and Parker did 
not find theirs and were somewhat downhearted at the disappoint- 
ment. After reporting we went ashore and spent the night and 
received our first impressions of Valparaiso. We took a walk 
through the business streets, called at the Blosa and retired early 
to bed at the Hotel Inglesa and slept very soundly. The per- 
sons whom we relieve have been looking for us during the last 
year and had begun to think the Navy Department had forgotten 
them. So we are now at our journey's end after thirty-five days 
from New York and thirty-seven days from home. Tomorrow 



24 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

we take up our quarters on board the "Dacotah" where we ex- 
pect to Hve for some time to come, probably over two years. 

Friday, Aug. I^th. 

We went aboard at 10 a. m., reported, then went over to the 
"Chile," brought off our baggage to the "Dacotah," and were 
busy all day in unpacking and getting things in place. 

Saturday, Aug. '29. 

I went to quarters for the first time on board a man of war. 
I am in charge of Hose division at general quarters and first quar- 
ters and an officer of engineers' division. Went ashore in the 
afternoon and made some purchases and commenced my explora- 
tion of Valparaiso Took mid watch, my first duty on the 
"Dacotah." 

Valparaiso, Chile, is the chief seaport of the Republic of 
Chile, and the town that presents to me the greatest evidences of 
a substantial civilization. At first I did not like the town at all 
nor its ways and people, but after a residence of three months and 
more I have become accustomed to its people and their ways and 
have good reasons to change my views. It was settled by the 
Spaniards during the time of the buccaneers. One of their ships 
after being tossed about for a long time in the Pacific and meeting 
no prizes at last came to anchor in the bay of Valparaiso where 
the hills all looked green and beautiful, and in the fullness of their 
joy they named it "Valdeparaiso" or "Vale of Paradise." The 
bay of Valparaiso is semi-circular in form, about four miles wide 
and three miles deep, and opens directly to the ocean and to the 
northward and westward. The city is built at the base of and on 
the high hills which completely surround the town and covers in 
consequence a large extent of ground. The town contains two 
Protestant churches, one Episcopal, and one Union in which the 
various services of the Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed and Con- 
gregational churches are held; also several large Catholic churches. 
Good schools, an opera house, open about three fourths of the 
year; horse railroads, a splendid fire department, gas, and water 
in abundance; and in fact, but for the language, and peons one 
would easily imagine himself in a city of the United States. The 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 25 

greater share of the business is carried on by Enghsh and Ameri- 
can houses with many French, Germans and a sprinkling of al- 
most all nations. Of the exports and imports of Chile twenty- 
three twenty -fourths comes in and goes out at this port, and a 
large fleet of ships may at all times be seen in her harbor. The 
great depth of water near the shore has thus far prevented the 
building of wharves for loading and discharging cargoes which is 
safely done by means of launches or lighters to and from which all 
packages are carried on men's shoulders. There is but one land- 
ing place, being the Mole, and then the freight is landed on a 
sandy beach and has to pass through the custom house and be 
inspected, when it is taken in carts to the purchasers. During 
the fall and winter months, April to November, the prevailing 
winds are from the northward and frequently blow hard enough to 
endanger the shipping. i\.nyone who has felt a genuine "Norther" 
does not care for another. During the rest of the year the 
winds are from the southward and eastward and are cool and 
pleasant. During both these periods all ships are moored in 
tiers head to wind. 

The people of Valparaiso are fond of music and almost every 
evening you will hear some of the various bands playing in one 
of the plazas or public squares, and every Sunday afternoon in 
the "Jardin Recreo." Most of the people take their children out 
to hear the music, have a promenade, see the animals, etc. 
During the week the bands also play several times. I passed 
several very pleasant afternoons in this way. The people seem, 
as in all Catholic countries, to make the Sabbath a great holiday 
and frequently the troops are reviewed on the "Plaza Ancha," 
or the fire department have a squirt in the plazas and the people 
wander in crowds over the hills back of the town; the lower 
people taking their "conn" and a guitar with some "chicha" or 
wine cider, will get out of town and dance the "Zamacueca" or 
national dance all day. These lower classes or peons know little, 
require little, but enjoy what little they have. You will in- 
variably see them with their ponchos thrown around them, 
whether it be hot or cold, in fact many of them wear nothing else 
but a pair of trousers. I have made several acquaintances 
amongst the Americans. On Rev. Mr. Trumbull and family I 



26 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

called quite often and always passed a pleasant evening. I was 
surprised to find him so well posted in LI. S. politics, the character 
of the leaders of the political parties, the platforms, etc., and the 
probable effect of their success on the future of our country. He 
comprehends the whole subject with greater clearness then you 
could expect from a man who has been in the United States but a 
few months in twenty-five years. I quite enjoyed the visits to 
his family. He is pastor of the Presbyterian congregation of the 
LTnion Church, a man of great energy of character, and one who 
has done much good in this country. He was in Cambridge sev- 
eral years ago and preached in the White church and remembers 
Rev. Mr. Taylor quite well. I also learned that an old school- 
mate of mine at Manchester, Vt., Miss Lizzie Burnham then, 
and Mrs. A. M. Merwin now, a minister's wife, was settled in 
Santiago. Of course I was quite anxious to see her again, and 
one evening while at Mr. Trumbull's I went with them to Mr. 
and Mrs. Wheelwright's and there met Mrs. Merwin and passed 
a very pleasant evening. Of course we had a long string of rem- 
iniscences to talk over and many a face was called back that I 
had long since forgotten. I was at school with her in 1858, ten 
years ago. I had not seen her since. I called quite often after- 
wards at Mr. and Mrs. Wheelwright's, where Mrs. Merwin was 
visiting. I find that some months away from the influence of 
woman's society makes a man quite a machine and little better. 
I enjoyed the few visits very much and feel thankful for their 
influence on me. 

Wednesday, Nov. 25thf/SoS) 

Our repairs having been completed and no revocation of our 
orders coming by the mail of the 21st we got up steam and at 4.05 
p. ni. stood out of the harbor of Valparaiso bound to Callao, Peru. 

Saturday, Dec. 5th. 

At 9 p. m. we anchored in the harbor of Callao, Peru, ten 
days from Valparaiso; a very good passage. 

Sunday, Dec. ISth. 

Today Webb, Gates, Wood and I went up to Lima, my first 
visit; our principal object to see a bull fight. We took a carriage 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 27 

at 1.30 p. m. and rode out to the "Plaza de los Toros," where is 
situated the ring which consists of a hard ground amphitheater 
some four hundred feet in diameter surrounded by covered 
seats arranged in tiers similar to a theater. We paid forty 
cents entrance and two dollars for a box in the upper and 
best tier. At 3 p. m. the procession of matadors, horsemen, 
etc., all gaily draped, entered, halted in front of the Presi- 
dent's box, saluted and passed around the ring; an old custom, 
and serves to show the audience that the equipments are 
complete. After this performance the ring is cleared of all 
save the matadors and horsemen (twelve matadors, eight 
horsemen). The bugle sounds ready to begin, a horseman faces 
the entrance door some forty to sixty feet off, the door is 
opened, out comes the bull, sees the horseman, charges at him like 
mad, bellows, plunges, shakes his horns; he is met by the rider 
with his long cloth called "capa." The horse rears, gallops away 
and finally gets clear of the bull (not always), who then for the 
first time sees other men and horsemen, charges at them, and 
finally becomes perfectly furious because he can't catch them. 
Every man in the ring is provided with his cloth, which they 
shake at the bull and when he charges away behind them this 
enables the men to get away as it attracts the attention of the 
bull from them. But with this advantage they often have to 
jump for life. I have seen them jump up and let the bull pass 
under them. Darts and arrows gaily fired off with paper, are 
stuck into the bull when he lags, and immense pieces of fireworks, 
set on wheels, such as a man driving a pair of horses, came 
propelled across the ring by jets of fire behind; at these the 
bull always charges when they go off, blown up with the report 
like a discharge of a hundred muskets. Finally after he has 
been teased and afforded lots of fun to the audience the bugle 
sounds the note. Out steps the matador, with a small flag 
fastened to a stick in his left hand and a long slim sword in his 
right. When the bull charges at him he thrusts the sword down 
between his shoulders and strives to reach his vitals without 
causing blood to be shown; if successful the bull soon dies. 
Then in march two men dragging a heavy, low, two wheeled 
truck of iron, on which the head of the bull is chained; in comes 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 



a team of four horses which is hitched to the truck, and with 
a dig of spurs, a sHnging of whips, the shouts of the crowd, the 
music of the band, out goes the defunct bull. In a few moments 
another bull is let in when the same thing is repeated, until eight 
to twelve bulls are killed. The president and a numerous 
suite of officers and foreign representatives were present, all in 
full dress, many gentlemen and ladies (F. F. V's) all in the rich- 
est of opera or ball costume, even to low necks and white gloves, 
and all the common rabble in toto I suppose not far from nine or 
ten thousand persons. This show takes place nearly every Sun- 
day and seems to give great amusement. I saw that day a horse 
ripped up, the rider thrown, and the next Sunday a man was 
tossed and killed. All these men partake of the sacrament and 
are confessed before they enter the ring. A daring feat is always 
accompanied with a shower of silver coins from the audience 



Expedition to Chanchamayo, Peru 

In December last I first became acquainted with Mr. John 
WilUam Nystrom, C. E. Engineer of the State of Peru. From 
him I received an invitation to join an expedition which he was 
then organizing. I obtained from Rear Admiral Thomas Turner, 
U. S. N. Comd'g S. P. Squadron, the necessary leave and the 
following will be essentially the report which I am required to 
make to our government. 

U. S. S. Dacotah, (3rd), 

Bay of Callao, Peru, 
January 4th, 1869. 
Rear Admiral, 

Thomas Turner, U. S. N., 

Comd'g. S. P. Squadron. 
Sir: 

I would respectfully solicit your attention to the following 
statement and application. 

Mr. John W. Nystrom, C. E. State Engineer of the Repub- 
lic of Peru, intends to start soon on an expedition to the in- 
terior of the Republic, having for his object the exploration of the 
mineral and other resources with a view to their future devel- 
opement. He will take with him an able body of assistants 
and a strong military escort. He has expressed a strong desire 
to have some officers of the U. S. Navy accompany him, both 
for the benefit he would personally derive from their services, 
as well as the information which the Government would obtain, 
an opinion in which General Hovey, our Minister to Peru, coin- 
cides. The expedition will explore the section of country about 
the head waters of the Ucayali River and will occupy two to three 
months. The objects will be better understood by an examina- 
tion of the report of a previous expedition and from Mr. Nys- 
trom's letter, both inclosed. I would respectfully ask for leave 
of absence from February 1st until April 15th in order that I 
may accompany the expedition, stating that no compensation 
for services is to be received save for actual traveling expenses 
and subsistence, which will be paid by the government of Peru, 



30 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

and that I will be prepared to make a report to our government 
if desired. 

I am sir, very respectfully your obedielit servant, 

H. N. Stevenson C. E., 

3rd Asst. Eng. U. S. Navy. 

(From Memory) 

Hotel Maury, Lima, 
March 4th, 1869. 
John W. Ny Strom, C. E. 
Dear Sir: 

I have the pleasure to inform you that on yesterday I 
received from Com'd'r Wm. J. Spicer, U. S. N., Com'd'r U. S. 
S. Dacotah (3rd), my leave of absence granted by Rear iVdmiral 
Thomas Turner, U. S. N., Com'd'r S. P. Squadron, and also 
his instructions, which enables me to accompany your expedition. 
I am willing to go with you, to receive no compensation from 
the Government of Peru, beyond such transportation and sub- 
sistence as the other members of your party receive, and to 
render such services as my professional education has fitted me 
for. 

I am very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

H. N. Stevenson, C. E., 
3rd Asst. Eng'r, U. S. N. 

On the receipt of my letter of March 4th, Mr. Nystrom 
handed me the document of which the following is a copy. 

Secretary of State, 

Police and Public Works. 

Lima, March 4th, 1869. 
John W. Nystrom, 

Engineer of the State. 

On this day I have approved the admission you propose, 
of Assistant Engineer H. N. Stevenson to the commission of 
which you are chief, considering the expenses of transportation 
and subsistence in the estimate of said commission. 

Dios que A. V., 
(signed) P. Galvez. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 31 

Wednesday, March 3rd, 1869. 

Was busy all day aboard the ship packing up my things 
preparatory to taking them to Lima where they will be left 
until my return. Received my papers and instructions from 
Captain Spicer and at 3.30 p. m. left the ship in company with 
Webb. I took from the ship a Sharpe carbine rifle and three 
hundred metalic cartridges. Arrived in Lima and found that 
Mr. Nystrom could not get off tomorrow morning. Stopped at 
the Hotel Maury. 

Saturday, March 6th. 

This morning all the cargoes were taken down but owing 
to a mistake of the arriero we were one mule short, so we had to 
wait until Monday the 8th, when we expect to start without 
fail (Sin falta). 

Monday, March 8th. 

Was up early. At 7.30 we commenced to cargo the mules 
and at 10.30 left the Hotel Maury. Proceeded to the palace 
and were presented to His Excellency Don Jose Balta, presi- 
dent of the Republic of Peru, who expressed his interest in and 
hope for the success of the expedition; after exchanging fare- 
wells with him we rejoined our cavalry escort of ten men and our 
cargoes, eight in number, at the gate of the city called Maravillas. 
At 5.30 arrived at the Hacienda Santa Ynez and stopped for the 
night having made six leagues (miles). Our party was composed 
of the following persons. 

John W. Nystrom C. E., chief; H. N. Stevenson, C. E., 
3rd Asst. Eng'r, LT. S. N., aid to chief; Major Buena Ventura 
Benel, 7th Infantry, Peru Army, aid to chief; Bernado Buente 
de la Verga, photographer; William Boeling, sailor; Frederick 
Evans, mechanic; two arrieros or mule drivers. Captain and 
ten cavalry, and eight cargoes, thirty beasts in all, mules and 
horses. 

Our direction was along the south bank of the river Rimac 
following its meanderings, at Santa Ynez the barometer gave an 
elevation of two thousand five hundred and fifty-seven feet. 



32 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

Tuesday, March 9th. 

Resumed our march at 7.45 a. m. and at 3 p. m. arrived 
at the Indian village of Cocochacra, seven leagues. During the 
day we passed rocks, principally of metamorphic origin and we 
saw indications of silver. We reserved specimens for future 
assay. Elevation four thousand seven hundred and fifty feet. 
Thus far we have passed through the wide rich valley of the 
Rimac which is made fertile by the small water courses turned 
from the river, some of which run for miles making fertile the 
otherwise barren plain. 

Wednesday, March 10th. 

Resumed our march at 8 a. m., the cavalry escort returning 
to Lima the road being considered safe from robbers, from this 
point on. At 2.30 p. m. we arrived at the village of Matucana, 
seven leagues, where we were offered the use of the Governor's 
house, which we gladly accepted. From him we learned that 
gold had been washed in some quantity from the bed of the river, 
which confirmed what we considered to be gold quartz passed dur- 
ing the day. Mr. Nystrom found in the bed of the river a piece of 
hard coal that closely resembled our anthracite of Pennsylvania. 
Elevation eight thousand three hundred and forty-five feet. 

Thursday, March llth. 

Resumed our march at 7.45 a. m. and at 4.30 arrived at 
Chicla six leagues, having had a hard day's ride. The valley 
of the Rimac gradually narrows until at a short distance beyond 
Matucana it is scarcely wider than the river and to Chicla 
is nothing but a ravine with steep rocky sides, along which the 
narrow mule path winds and twists and in many places is steep, 
rough and dangerous, being several hundred feet above the bed 
of the river, and our mules each carrying the extreme load of 
twelve Arrobas or three hundred pounds, required frequent as- 
sistance. The barometer gives an elevation of twelve thousand 
three hundred and forty feet. 

Friday, March I'ith. 

Resumed our march at 8.30 a. m. and at 4.30 p. m. arrived 
at the Hacienda of the Messrs. Fluckers, five leagues. During 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



33 



PHOTOGRAPHS OF PLACES ON THE ROUTE— Taken by Senor D. 
Bernardo Puente de la Vega. 




Hacienda of the Messrs. Fluckers at Morococha looking N. N. W. 



the day we were in sight of snow which crowned the peaks 
around us; the air was cold and the wind piercing. At 1.30 
p. m. we passed the highest point of our route marked by a 
large hill of stones at the elevation of sixteen thousand two hun- 
dred and forty-nine feet. Near and within thirty feet of each 
other were two small lakes from which the water flowed re- 
spectively to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Our whole party 



34 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

were more or less affected by the rarity of the atmosphere, 
causing chills, succeeded by fever, nose bleed, sore lips, difficulty 
of breathing, a heavy dull pain in the head, a feeling of oppression 
in the lungs, general lassitude and debility. These gentlemen, 
two Messrs. Fluckers, are engaged in mining at this point and 
have very extensive works which are described later in detail. 
We remained at Morococha until Sunday the 14th and have 
many reasons to remember their kindness and attention to us 
during our sufferings. The elevation of Morococha by the 
barometer is fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty-one feet. 

Sunday, March lUh. 

Resumed our march at 10 a. m. and at 4.30 arrived at 
Aroya, six leagues. During the day we descended quite rapidly 
the Atlantic slope as shown by the rapid change in the vegeta- 
tion although we are still at a high elevation, twelve thousand 
and six feet. 

Monday, March 15th. 

Resumed our March at 8.30 a. m. and at 3.30 p. m. ar- 
rived at the city of Tarma, six leagues. Soon after leaving Aroya 
we were in a cold rain storm for a few hours, the only rain we 
saw on our route to Tarma. The vegetation underwent a rapid 
change as we descended the valley of the Pachachacra river, 
and we saw on either side rich fields of grain, pastures of green 
grass, orchards of apples, pears, peaches, etc., the whole indicat- 
ing a richer and better soil than that of the Pacific slope, which 
is for the most part composed of barren masses of rock. 

At. 3.30 p. m. we entered the city which contains about 
6,000 inhabitants and were warmly welcomed by Senor Bassiga, 
the sub prefect and many others of the people, through whose 
kindness we were furnished with a comfortable house for our 
exclusive use, during our stay. We were shown near Tarma, 
an outcropping of semi-bituminous coal of good quality and 
judging from the geological formation of the vicinity it must 
exist in sufficient quantity to pay development. 

It was our intention to erect at Tarma the assaying labo- 
ratory and to analj^ze the specimens found on the road, some 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



35 



To the right and situated about one half mile from the Hacienda stands the 
silver works, i. e., the mills &c. already described, the principal vein from which 
the ore is taken is in the hill directly in rear of the Hacienda. On our first visit 
very little snow was to be seen, but on our return the whole surface was cov- 
ered with snow, and the small lake to the right was skimmed with ice. The 
house is in ground plan rectangular forming a hollow square making the court 
yard.— Taken March 15th, 1869. 




A view of Tarma, Peru, looking from S by W. Taken March 22, 1869. 



twenty -five in number, and those we might find near Tarma, but 
since Tarma has so few and in view of the fact that Col. Pereira is 
waiting for us at Chanchamayo with the mihtary forces, Mr. 
Nystrom has decided to push forward in a few days to Fort 
San Ramon and commence the real object of his commission. 
This is to penetrate the country lying between Fort San Ramon, 



36 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

on the river Perene at the junction of the Chanchamayo and 
Tulumayo rivers, and Maingal, on the Urubamba in the depart- 
ment of Ciizco, and connect the points by a good road, a work 
which has been attempted several times but never accomphshed, 
for which we have all the necessary tools, and the troops under 
Col. Pereira are for our protection against the Indians called 
"Chunchos" a wild uncivilized tribe hostile to the white man. 

We are also to examine the rivers Ucayali, Akeisimac, Uru- 
bamba and Perene as regards the practicability of their steam 
navigation and determine the point nearest to Lima best suited 
for the terminus of a railroad from that city for which the route 
has been surveyed for over one half the way, i. e., to Oroya. 

The correct position, course and character of these rivers 
is not known with any degree of certainty, and we hope to give 
some more definite and reliable information about them on 
our return. That this is a work of the first necessity to Peru, 
a glance at the map will show. For to the development of her 
interior, Peru must look for new support in the future as in a 
few years her deposits of guano will give out and she be left 
with no means of support. That the section abounds in iron 
and the precious metals, there is no doubt but at present the 
cost and danger of transportation are so great as to preclude 
any developments of these vast resources. With a railroad 
from Lima to the Ucayali, the valley of the Urubamba, rich in 
minerals and well adapted to agriculture, will be opened to the 
coast and the interior of Peru will have two grand outlets to the 
world, one by rail to the Pacific and the other by the navigation 
of the Ucayali and the Amazon to the Atlantic. By these 
communications improved machinery can be imported and mines 
and agricultural products profitably worked that now bring cer- 
tain ruin with the attempt. 

President Balta, in our interview with him in Lima, expressed 
to us his firm conviction of the necessity of this railroad in pref- 
erence to any other public work that Peru has in contemplation 
at the present time. The extreme load in one piece that can at 
present be transported over the mountains is only twelve arrobas 
of twenty-five pounds each or three hundred pounds and at a rate 
not over five to seven leagues per day, fifteen to twenty-one Eng- 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



37 




A view of the family of Seiior D. Bernardo Cagigao — The young boy on 
the left with a check frock was a particular favorite of mine and many a romp 
I had with him.— Taken April 1, 1869. 



lish miles. The cost of this one cargo to Tarma, forty-two 
leagues is seventeen to twenty dollars. 



Wednesday, March 17th. 

After breakfast Senor Bernardo Cajigao sent us horses 
and started to see some iron formations near his hacienda of 
La Florida. Cajigao was at one time a citizen of the United 
States, speaks English fluently, and is the most accomplished as 
well as the wealthiest gentleman in Tarma. Found iron stone 
but not of equality to pay any development. 



38 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 



liif 




Wife, children and friends of the i^refect of tlie Department of Junin 
Sefior Don. 

1 Colonel Basiga. Sub Prefect. 

2 Mrs. Basiga. 
6 Their son. 

8 Prefect's wife. 

5 President and Principal of the College. 

9 A lawyer who speaks English. 



Thursday, March 18th. 

Today we took another long ride with the same party in 
the direction of Jauja to see some copper mines that had been 
worked by the Inca Indians in a previous age, the excavations 
were large but the ore was of a poor quality and woidd scarcely 
pay working at the present time. We also saw a formation of 
semi-bituminous coal of a very fine quality, the outcrop nearly 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



39 




A group of Guachua Indians as they are to be seen every day in the 
streets. These men were found on the streets and driven into Seiior Cagigao 
court yard, stood up and photographed. They are very characteristic of the 
race. — Taken April 1, 1869. These are the men who are the laborers and but 
little better than slaves. Their condition and treatment are referred to on 
another page. 



eight inches thick, and the geological formation of the vicinity in- 
dicates that coal could be found in quantity and would pay 
developing. 

Saturday, March Wth. 

Attended examination of the scholars of the "College" as 
it is called, but which in reality is merely a primary school as 



40 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

none of the scholars could have been over fourteen years of age 
and the average not above eleven. Was much pleased with the 
method of examination and the proficiency shown by the pupils 
which would compare favorably with our own schools at home. 

Friday, March ^Oth. 

Good Friday. While looking at the procession saw a great 
many persons seemingly very glad to meet a stranger. One 
in partial uniform of a Peruvian colonel, tall, straight and with a 
great deal of the "Suaviter in Modo," I knew to be Col. Pereira, 
commanding the expedition to the Paucartambo and the man to 
whom we are to look for assistance in troops, workmen, etc., al- 
though his work and ours is altogether different. 

Saturday, March 'ilth. 

Mr. Nystrom, Major Benel, Lieut. Puente and I called on 
Col. Pereira at Senor Santa Maria's house. After a long inter- 
view the following was settled as to the part which each was to 
perform; Mr. Nystrom was to accompany Col. Pereira and have 
the protection of his troops, the assistance of his workmen, with 
tools, until such time as Mr. Nystrom saw fit to start from the 
front to carry out his instructions and complete the purpose of 
his expedition. Col. Pereira was to complete his work, i. e., to 
build a road from Fort San Ramon to the Paucartambo river 
and secure the country. From the moment they met I saw 
that each was jealous of the other and each claimed to be chief 
over the whole expedition. Future events will show how true 
was my conjecture. 

Nothing of interest occurred during the remainder of our 
stay in Tarma; Mr. Nystrom and Col. Pereira being both busy 
in collecting supplies of provisions, tools and other things neces- 
sary to carry on the work. Finally everything being completed 
on 

Saturday, April 3rd. 

We started from Tarma with thirteen cargoes, three arrieros, 
ten Indian assistants. It was not without a great deal of trouble 
that we did so for the arriero was forced to take more cargo 
to each mule that he wished and could not be brought to terms 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



41 




Another view of Tanna looking from the east showing the valley which 
we descended and approached the city. — The gate is shown in the back center 
ground.— Taken March 30, 1869. 



until he received a severe thrashing from the hands of Mr. 
Nystrom, who is sufficiently heavy and strong to find a few mas- 
ters. Finally at 1.30 p. m. we left the Plaza and at 3 p. m. ar- 
rived at "La Florida," one of the Haciendas of Senor Cajigao 
where he and some of his friends welcomed us with a fine lunch. 
Bidding adieu to them, we far in rear of the cargoes, finally 



42 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 



overtook them in the village of Acobamba, and found over half 
uncargoed. This was against orders for we had intended to 
push on to Palca, two leagues farther, so the arriero received 
another castigation, and on opening the boxes of provisions we 
found our collection of "Bitters, Oil, Vinegar, etc.," in a sad 
state; over a dozen bottles broken, truly a deplorable state to 
aflfairs where such things are absolutely necessary in the climate 
to which we are going. Boeling volunteered to return to Tar- 
ma, two leagues, and going into the corral selected the best 
mule and started back to replenish our stock. Starting at 6 
p. m. he was back at 8.15, not a bad ride, four leagues. The 
Governor offered us his house and also took two mules of cargo 
"by force" for us, and also by the same process ten more Indian 
assistants. Elevation of Acobamba, nine thousand seven hun- 
dred and sixty-two feet. 

Sunday, April Mh. 

Owing to the stubbornness of the arrieros we did not get 
off until 9.20 a. m. At 1 p. m. we arrived at Palca, two leagues 
and on mustering our forces found two cargoes and seven Indians 
gone, so stopped and sent back scouts who returning at 4 p. m. 
reported that the two mules had been found, one lying dead near 
the road where they had strayed, killed by the recoil of a branch 
of a tree. Taking another mule, they went back for the cargoes, 
which arrived at 6 p. m. so we were obliged to remain at Palca 
for the night stopping at the Governor's house, having in two 
days made four leagues, owing to the stubbornness of the ar- 
rieros by which he was much the loser. Elevation nine thousand 
and sixty-two feet. 

Monday, April 5th. 

Having been furnished by the Governor with two more 
mules, taken of course "by force," we got under way at 8.50 a. 
m. and now commenced the real work of the journey, for the 
road was steep, rough, rocky and badly built beyond descrip- 
tion. The cargoes needed constant assistance and by each was 
stationed an Indian to help along. At one point the road had 
been washed by the rain and we had to build it up again, taking 
an hour. At another place after vainly trying to knock away 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



43 



a projecting rock, we uncargoed the mules, sent the packs across 
the bad place on the Indians backs and recargoed taking an hour 
and a half. So that at 5.30 p. m. when we arrived at Huacap- 
istana, we had made but four leagues. Elevation six thousand 
and sixty-one feet. 

Tuesday, April Qth. 

Left Huacapistana at 9 a. m. and arrived at Fort San 
Ramon at 6 p. m., having had more of yesterday's experience 
in passing bad places, unloading the cargoes twice and built one 
bridge. This with looking after the Indian helpers, who some- 




tioc.oCt,Tc 



^^^. /^e-Ue-O-L-^y^ ^^:^<x-^ 




times needed the motive power of a pistol near their heads to 
control them, kept us quite busy and occupied during the day. 

Notwithstanding our care on mustering the men at the fort 
we could muster but nine out of a force of twenty to go with us. 
Each of these received fifty cents for the four days' work. Very 
tired from the fatigue of the ride on my miserable, hard riding, 
stubborn jolting mule I was glad to jump into my ship's hammock 
which I had brought along and dropped off to sleep very quickly. 
Elevation two thousand four hundred and eighty-eight feet. 

The country as we descend the slope of the Andes from Tar- 
ma to San Ramon rapidly changes from the Temperate to the 
Torrid zone. About a league east of Palca forests commence 
abruptly, the general direction of the line being north and south. 



44 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

These forests grow denser, and as we advance the trees larger and 
taller. Near Huacapistana the Pachachacra river unites with the 
Chanchamayo. Below their junction the river runs through a 
deep canon over the steep sides of which plunge various beautiful 
cascades, one rushing out from the solid rock at the mouth of a 
cavern, whose elevation must be at least four hundred feet, 
plunges down to the river below in an almost unbroken fall, while 
high above towers the solid wall of unbroken rocks — a grand sight. 
One league west of the fort we suddenly emerged from behind a 
spur of the mountain and found stretched out before us a fine 
sloping plain over which waved vast fields of sugar cane, corn and 
rice, and I saw for the first time in Peru what looked like cultiva- 
tion of the soil, and we knew that we were approaching the 
garden spot of Peru. In a short time we reached the Hacienda 
of Col. Cordenas, where we halted and were refreshed with fruit 
and ale. From here to the fort as far as the eye could reach, 
on either hand could be seen the immense fields of cane, corn 
and rice, where a few years before was naught but wild forests 
through which roamed unmolested the savage and unconquered 
Chunchos. 

To Fort San Ramon and its surrounding Haciendas and pro- 
ducts I shall hereafter refer. 

Spent the intervening time to the 21st about the fort and 
in visiting the various Haciendas whilst waiting for the laborers 
to be organized, and for provisions, tools, etc., brought on from 
Tarma. Scarcely an incident occurred to mar our peace al- 
though we are amongst the Chunchos and they frequently have 
killed and fired at persons in the vicinity of the fort, and we al- 
ways carried our fire arms with us. The two rivers, Chancha- 
mayo and Tulumayo, unite at the fort and form the river Perene. 
The section between the Chanchamayo and Tulumayo is settled 
and occupied by various Haciendas into which the Chunchos 
seldom venture while they have complete possession of all the 
section across these rivers and down the Perene on both sides. 
Many evenings we were entertained with stories of fights and 
murders; how these Indians only a few years ago surrounded the 
fort and in one day fired several thousand "fletches", or arrows, 
into the fort and cut off communication for over a week; another 
tale was that last November Mr. Eimen was induced to cross the 
Tulmayo opposite his Haciendas by protestations and signs of 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 45 

friendship from three Chunchos, and when nearly over was fired 
at and barely escaped by keeping under water, having had in a 
few minutes over sixty "fletches" fired at him; that about the 
year '50 a party of Germans were sent down the Perene by the 
Peruvian Government to explore, starting in a boat built near 
the fort, but to this day not a word has been heard from them, 
probably all having been murdered; in '53 or '54 a party of forty 
"Yankee" Californians went to look for gold but all came back 
in a few months hatless, bootless, without clothes or provisions, 
emaciated, many sick and wounded, some of whom afterwards 
died; having had a constant succession of fights with the Chun- 
chos and finding no gold they were glad to get back; a few years 
later a party of Germans started on a similar expedition but a 
very few succeeded in getting through and they were now settled 
in Loreto in Brazil; that Lieutenant Herndon of our own navy 
had intended to go down the Perene, but found the undertaking 
too difficult and went down the Huallaga in 1851-2 and up to 
Saregaca on the Ucayali; another story was that soon after the 
establishment of the fort in 1847, a young Chuncho was captured, 
sent to Europe and given the best education at the expense of the 
Peruvian Government, and sent back to his tribe with the hopes 
that he would endeavor to civilize them, but instead he placed 
hiimself at their head, taught them all he had learned, waged 
war against the white man, took the fort, drove the white man 
back, murdered and pillaged, and took possession of the country 
to within a league of Palcaz; in December last an expedition 
started under Colonel Basaiga to meet Admiral Tucker of the 
Peruvian Navy, who was exploring the rivers with steamers and 
got as far as Quimiri, two and one-half leagues, but came back in 
a few days, having found the undertaking too great. 

These and many more stories of a similar nature showed 
us in some degree what sort of a people we will have to deal 
with, and I must confess I was fully alive to the danger of our 
undertaking. What we shall do I cannot say. I am losing some 
■of my original confidence in Mr. Nystrom as a leader of this 
party though not of his ability as a scientific man. While here 
I commenced my collection of plants and insects of which I have 
made a creditable beginning. 

After the failure of Col. Basaiga and his expedition, Col. 
Pereira took charge of the party reorganized, enlarged, refitted 



46 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




A view of Fort San Ramon showing the confluence of the Chancharaayo 
and Tulumayo rivers. The Chanchamyo in the foreground. Taken April 
10, 1869, looking S. E. 

it and in January commenced to build a bridge over the Chan- 
chamayo about half a mile above the fort and when finished com- 
menced building a road down the Perene, which at our arrival 
was finished about three leagues from the fort to a place beyond 
Quimiri, named "Camp San Domingo" by him. Our party 
joins his although on a separate mission and with a separate ob- 
ject, his being to build a road to the Paucartambo (a mythical 
river) and establish forts, ours being to penetrate the country 
to the Department of Cuzco and explore the country beyond 
where Col. Pereira leaves off. He is to cooperate with us, lend 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



47 




A view of the bridge over the Chanchamayo River. This bridge was 
the first work of Col. Pereira on his assuming command of the expedition in 
January, 1869, after the failure of Col. Bassega. Col. Pereira was to build 
a road from Fort San Ramon to the Paucartambo and it was finished to with- 
in four or five miles. The bridge is about three-fourths of a mile above the Fort 
and is poorly constructed; similar in all respects to the one at Oroya. — -Taken 
April 14th. ^1869. looking N. W. 



US all the aid in his power as regards laborers, tools, troops, etc., 
until such time as we are ready to leave him when we will take 
our men and soldiers cast loose and pursue our own way, while 
he pursues his. 

NOTE — Herein lay all the future trouble we encountered 
between the two, and one of the main causes of our defeat. 
Each should have had his own men, troops, etc. ; as future events 
will show, two men cannot lead the same party. In fine, jeal- 
ousy was our greatest enemy. 



48 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




Another view of the bridge, showing the suspension part. — Taken April 
14. 1869. 



Wednesday, April '2,1st. 

Owing to the scarcity of mules Col. Pereira had taken his 
party to the front on Monday where we had sent most of our 
cargoes by the laborers. And on this morning having secured 
by force five mules we left Fort San Ramon at 8 a. m. and at 5.30 
p. m. arrived at Camp San Francisco, a Chuncho village, aban- 
doned only a few days before our advance. We selected one of 
their houses and proceeded to make ourselves comfortable, Mr. 
Nystrom, Senor Puente and I living in it. After crossing the 
bridge we passed down the road in the direction of the Perene, the 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



49 




Another view of the bridge looking N. E., showing Col. Pereira wel- 
coming Mr. Nystrom. — Taken April 14. 1869. 

country everywhere showing signs of great fertihty, the forests 
full of fine large trees of the best quality for timber. Occasionally 
we passed the ruins of houses where blackened timbers showed 
that the Chunchos were not idle. About noon we arrived at the 
Pampa where stood Quimiri, once a large Chuncho village but 
destroyed by them on the approach of Col. Pereira in January. 
We went on through immense forests of the finest trees for timber, 
abounding in cocoa, vanilla, etc., over large rich pampas, whose 
tall rank grasses nearly hid us from each other, past Chuncho 
houses and over the river, near which as well as on the hills around 
we could see excited groups of Chunchos watching the advance of 
our party with evident alarm, until at last we emerged onto the 



50 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

pampa where stood the village which we were to inhabit for some 
time; in all the most exciting day's travel, for had we not com- 
menced in earnest our expedition. Up to this time the whole has 
been preparatory. Four cows were killed by fletches at San 
Domingo. 

Thursday, April 'ilnd. 

All hands busy about the camp arranging houses, etc.; 
Col. Pereira's party, workmen, etc. moved up from San Domingo 
to San Francisco, the road between the two not being finished 
only a path through the woods. On Tuesday last a scouting 
party reported the village and Wednesday troops came up and 
took possession, the workmen cutting no more than a path. In 
the afternoon we heard the cry of "Guachua" (pronounced 
"Waukee"), a Guahua word meaning brother, which for years 
has been the cry of the Chunchos to the white men, across the 
river. We saw two of them in the bushes and endeavored to 
get them to come to the river bank by offers of presents, but 
of no avail. In a short time they retired. 

Francisco, a carpenter, arrived; was fired at by Chunchos, 
a mule train returning fired at, two mules wounded, one had to 
be killed. 

The house is fifty feet square over all and thirty-four feet 
square between posts about eight feet high at the eaves and 
thirty-five feet at the peak. The timbers used are all hewed 
square and quite smooth, evidently with iron tools as they showed 
the marks of tools similar to the round edge of a common axe. 
The rafters were placed about twenty inches apart and are cover- 
ed with the leaves of a variety of the Chunto palm, laid on in 
regular tiers like shingles, and securely fastened by thongs taken 
from the inside barks of trees as were also all the fastenings of the 
building. It was evidently used as a council house by the tribe 
and was the largest house we saw in their country. In the fore- 
ground stand Col. Pereira beside his hammock and in the rear a 
wounded soldier. The trees in the rear are plantain or banana. 



^n 



^ \^ /6 



A '^ ^ 



<~-w. 






■p 

J 












. • ., t.i...^jrdl^i 



TT^v( S 







Rough plan of Nijandares — April 25, 1869. 

1 Large House used by Col. P. and Officers. 

2 House used by Mr. Nystrom and myself. 

3 Next to largest house used as shop by carpenters, &c. 

4 Senor Puentes photograph tent. 
5-6-8-9-10-18-13 Soldiers" houses. 
7 Chinese Cook shop. 

11 Lieuts. Guerro and Mendota. 

12 Quarters of the Indian workmen. 

13 Soldiers' house and officers Cook shop, also a Chinese Restaurant. 

14 Cook shop and servants" quarters of Mr. Nystrom and his party. 

15 Temporary saw frame where lumber for small boats was sawed. 

16 Point across the river from which fletches and stones were often 
thrown into camp. 

17 Place of burial of the two soldiers killed May 15, 1869, in the Pam- 
pa del Carmen. 

18 Astillero — place cleared in the woods for the construction of our boat. 

19 Foundation of boat. 

20 Saw frame. 

21 House. 

22 Corral for sheep and cattle — some forty in number — twenty sheep. 
4-7-12-14 and all of 18 were built by us. The rest were found on tak- 
ing possession iVpril 21, 1869. 



52 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




General view of Nijandares looking East. — Taken April 25, 1869. 



Friday, April 2Srd. 

Col. Pereira, Mr. Nystrom, Major Benel and I with our 
constant companions, our rifles, and a file of soldiers, took a long 
walk ahead of the work in order to see the character of the river 
which at this point is two hundred and fifty-five feet wide. We 
went to the top of a high hill, and could see for a great distance 
ahead the river rolling on majestically, apparently deep, broad 
and with a rapid current. On our return we had another inter- 
view with the Chunchos across the river. They were bolder than 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



53 




View of the large house at Nijandares inhabited by Col. Pereira and 
Officers— Looking North.— Taken Apil 24, 1869. 



yesterday and when they saw that none of our party had fire 
arms, ventured to the edge of the river calling Huaguai, fold- 
ing their arms in token of friendship as if to embrace a brother. 
We flung across knives, handkerchiefs, etc., as presents which I 
am sure did not reach them owing to the breadth of the river. 
They tried to send us presents of fruit, trinkets, etc., throwing 
them in slings, or fastened to fletches, i. e., arrows. We were 



54 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




-4 «- 



THE ABOVE SHOWS A EOUGH PLAN AND ELEVATION OF THE 

HOUSE. 

1 Mr. Nystrom's bed, built of sticks driven in the ground with cross 
pieces, on which he spread iiis blankets. 

2 My hammock at night. 

3 Senor Puentes" hammock at night. 

4 Baggage boxes. 

5 Center table built of crotched sticks, and poles for the top. 

6 Holes we cut in the roof for a door, as the eaves were so low we al- 
ways had to stoop to get out or in. 

7 Taljle built same as 1 and 5 to hold books and instruments. 

8 Dining table of two big cargo boxes. 



very well satisfied with this overture and hoped to show them 
that we meant no harm and would do them none. 



Saturday, April 24</i. 

Was busy about camp all day superintending the erection of 
a good frame, getting men to work and sawing out plank and tim- 
ber for two small boats to be fourteen feet long. The carpenters 
are at work on them. We also had another palaver with the 
Chunchos, even more flattering than yesterday. They tried to 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



55 




MEMBERS OF THE 'EXPEDITIOX DE CHANCHAMAYO". 
at Fort San Ramon, April, 1869, in front of Mess Hall. 



Taken 



Top row — Wm. Bowling, Sr. B. Puente, Fred Evans. 

Bottom row — H. N. Stevenson, J. W. Nystrom, Sr. B. Benel "Wolf". 



induce us to come over, made signs for axes, needles and thread, 
saws and knives and showed the greatest friendhness, all of course 
in signs for they have their own language but know a few words 
of Guachua or the language of the Incas. 



56 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




IXTERIOR OF Oni HOUSE AT NIJANDARES SHOWING MR.- 
NYSTROM— Taken April, 1869. 



On leaving Fort San Ramon our party consisted as follows: 



as 
before 


' Mr. John W. Nystrom, C. E., 

H. N. Stevenson, C. E., 

Major P. Benel, 

Sr. B. Buente, 

Wni. Boeling, 
^ Fred Evans, 


Chief 

Aid 

Aid 

Photographer 

Sailor 

Mechanic 


Added [ 
at 
Fort 
San 
Ramon - 


Antonio (a Portugese) 

Sanchas, ) 

Francisco Sanchas, |- 
Pedro Sanchas, ) 


Servant 
Carpenters 
Blacksmith 



These last four were mechanics attached to the fort, but by 
order of Col. Beneuilles, Com'd'g, they were attached to our party 
until such time as we cast loose. They lived with their families 
in the fort. Antonio an old sailor, spoke English and had been 
with Col. Basaiga's expedition. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



57 




MR. XYSTROM— Taken at Xijandares, April 1869. 



Saturday, April 24th. 

On our return from the palaver with the Chunchos we 
found a big row going on around our shanty. Evans, Boehng 
and Antonio and about a dozen Cholo workmen were as drunk 
as drunk could be. Boeling was very saucy and belligerent, 
until his impudence could be borne no longer when he was placed 
in double irons under a sentry. This cooled the others and we 
finally got something of a dinner and found that our small 
stock of liquors had wonderfully disappeared, which accounted 
for the milk in the cocoanut, also the row in camp. 



38 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




H. N. STEVENSON, C. E. U. S. N.— Taken at Nijandares, April 1869. 
In the usual dress I wore every day. I always carried my revolvers, rifle 
and cartridge box as shown. 

This is near a Plantain. 



Sunday, April 25th. 

All work stopped for the day which was improved by 
Senor Buente in obtaining a photograph of the village and by 
us in another palaver with the Chunchos who now appeared 
in numbers of five or ten, mostly women and children. They re- 
peated their signs for hatchets, needles, knives, and wanted us 
to cross over, making signs of swimming and paddling a canoe, 
and when Major Benel took off his coat as if to cross by swim- 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 59 

ming to try them, they exhibited unmistakable signs of pleasure, 
but Benel saw stealing through the bushes back of the women 
with arcus and fietches, twelve warriors. Then Benel put on 
his coat, walked up to camp and quickly brought a rifle; on his 
return the Chunchos had disappeared and we never saw them 
afterwards except in the bushes or behind stones, and very shy 
indeed. Boeling, being sobered was released from confinement 
but declares he will not do any more work for us or our party 
and has such an influence over Evans that both will probably 
leave us. Boeling we can afford to lose but Evans is a really 
good and useful man. Antonio has been made cook and steward 
with a Cholo for an assistant, and our Chalone soup is just as good 
as ever. 

Monday, April Wth. 

Set up logs on saw frame and got the men to work sawing 
out planks for small boats. Went into the woods and selected 
timbers to form knees of boats. 

Tuesday, April 'ilth. 

Was about camp all day doing general duties. Took time 
sights and found that the chronometers could not be trusted. 
My old silver pocket watch keeps better time not being affected 
by the jolting of the mules. A long letter from Webb of the 
"Dacotah." She is to go to San Francisco, California, very soon 
for repairs. I do not expect to see her again. 

Decided today to build a large boat in which to make the 
descent of the Perene and selected a place on the bank of the 
river one-third of a mile below camp in the woods. 

Wednesday, April 'iSth. 

Was up at 6 a. m. as usual and went to the muster of the 
workmen. Of the Guachua or Cholo Indians, one hundred and 
twenty-five in number, twenty-two were told off to form Mr. 
Nystrom's working party, together with six soldiers of whom 
there are thirty-six, mostly Cledores or policemen from Lima. 
With this party we marched out of camp on the road of Col. 
Pereira to the place selected yesterday and commenced to 




60 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

clear a path to the water's edge, about forty rods, which was 
finished at 3 p. m. with a large clear spot along the river on which 
to build and launch the boat. At 4.30 we marched back to camp 
having performed the first day's work at "Astillero" the name 
we have given our place of working. It is a Spanish word and 
means "the place where ships are built." 

On our arrival at camp we found two soldiers wounded at 
the work on the road about half a mile ahead of us. One had a 
fletche through the fore part of his arm, 
thus. The party had received a shower 
of arrows on commencing work after din- 
ner. I being the "Doctor" of the party, as 
I was called, having charge of the medicine 
chest, took the case under my care, using 
cold water to keep down the inflamma- 
tion. The other soldier had the skin 
taken from the Ijridge of his nose and was not hurt beyond the 
power of adhesive plaster. 

These fletches or arrows are made in several ways; some 
have points on both sides, others have on one or both sides five, 
seven or nine points, others like this 

^\S^-^ 






Col. Pereira has over two hundred collected on this trip. 
They are made: the point of Chunto, a hard palm wood like iron 
that takes the edge of steel. The feathers are arranged in spirals. 
The distance fired this a. m. was at least three hundred feet. 
Their bows are made of the same hard Chunto wood. I have 
some and a great force is necessary to fire them off. They are 
from six to ten feet long. The reed or stem is that of a species of 
cane and grows in great abundance. It is long, straight, perfectly 
round and smooth. These fletches make the ugliest wound I ever 
saw, much worse than any gunshot wound. Some of the points 
are of iron. India Rubber trees are the most common here. 

If you look you will see a small sketch where I commenced 
to make a drawing of a "Fletche". Just at that moment Mr. 
Nystrom came in from Astillero with two fletches in his hand and 
explained what I thought were gun shots some moments ago. 
This morning he tried to cross the river in the small boat and 




NO. 9 



62 COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 

afterwards went to Astillero to see how the work went on. He 
sat down on a stone near the waters edge; soon he heard a noise 
behind him but supposed it was a small animal. The Black- 
smith was near and saw a fletche right beside him. It could 
not have passed more than a foot from him, and was fired from 
the other side of the river. Soon another came and fell in the 
water twenty feet in front. They fired their guns and some saw 
several Chuncos 

Thursday, April 29th. 

Up at 6 a. m. as usual and at 7 went with party to Astillero, 
when we commenced getting out timbers for foundations, saw 
frames, planks, etc. This part of the work is mine, and with 
the six "hatcheros" or axemen, I would go through the noble 
forests all around us and order this or that tree cut at liberty, 
perfect master of all the forest about. What a pity I often 
thought as some of the noble trees came tumbling down that 
such should be their fate; trees twenty-five and thirty inches at 
the top, from which could be cut planks of forty, fifty and sixty 
feet in length. 

Friday, April 30th. 

At x\stillero at 6.40 a. m. commenced and erected the saw 
frame, mapped out and set to work carpenters at hewing the logs 
got out yesterday. Astillero is a busy, thriving place' and the 
scene is quite an animating one. The workmen take a great in- 
terest in our work considering that they are victims of the Peru- 
vian custom which takes men, horses, mules, etc., "by force" 
whenever they are wanted. They are a cheerful, willing race of 
men and very faithful when once at work. They are greatly 
abused, given no political standing or voice; have to pay the 
government a tax every year, besides rendering a service of a 
week, are impressed by force for the army, for laborers, as aids 
to travellers, etc.; are allowed by the government to receive 
only four reals or fifty cents per day for any service. 

Col. Pereira pays them nominally, three reals per pay, but 
one real goes for food, more for extra cacao, pieces of cow's hides 
for shoes, etc., so that the amount they really receive in money is 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 63 



very small. They rise at 6 a. m., do the work about camp, are 
mustered and marched off to work by 7 a. m. without any break- 
fast, each carrying his tools. Arriving at the work they are al- 
lowed a quarter of an hour to chew the leaf of the cocoa which 
takes the place of tobacco with us. At 9 a. m. another quarter 
of an hour for cocoa, at 12 breakfast. Resume labor at 1.15 p. m., 
another rest at 3 p. m., stop work at 5 p. m., march back to camp 
and have dinner. They are divided into squads, each working 
party having a "captain" who is their master and him they mind 
implicitly. Mr. Nystrom has promised them double wages if 
they can do his work, i. e., hew logs, saw^ planks and general 
rough carpenter work. They showed a greater amount of intel- 
ligence and did much better than the people ever give them credit 
for. Altogether they are an abused and downtrodden people. 
They are descendants of the Incas and speak their language, 
though corruptly. 

Saturday, May \st. 

Finished erection of saw frames and got up a log twenty 
inches diameter, thirty feet long; a good work for twenty-three 
men; finished cutting and setting up the foundation blocks, de- 
cided on the form and size of the boat. A flat bottomed scow 
twenty-eight feet long, ten feet beam, four feet deep and nearly 
rectangular in plan. On this is to be built a cabin of boards to 
resist fletches and attacks of the Chunchos. Ruslin, and Evans 
discharged and left camp with party of soldiers for Fort San 
Ramon. Soldiers go for provisions under charge of Lieut. Richu. 

Sunday, May 'ind. 

Of course all work was suspended. Being the anniversary 
of the glorious battle of Callao, May 2nd, 1866, when the Span- 
iards were driven back. Col. Pereira decided on a celebration. 
Early in the morning a national salute was fired by the troops. 
We have no artillery, but made the salute with volleys of mus- 
ketry amid grand huzzas; double rations of cacao and food were 
served out to the workmen, who are made happy by a very little 
thing. Soon gay parties of maskers were going about camp, 
dancing the old traditional dances of the Incas, singing their 



64 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

songs, etc. Where all the fantastic costumes came from I can- 
not imagine under our present circumstances. At 8 a. m. all 
hands were called to clear and clean the corral, about one hundred 
and fifty feet square in which is kept at night the live stock. 

At 11 a. m. all was ready and from our stock of about fifty 
bulls and cows one was lead into the corral, and thrown; his horns 
were cut, and then we had a grand bull teasing, for several hours 
the officers of the camp being the matadores. After some six or 
seven bulls had been teased and some very clever things done, 
there happened to be left alone in the corral a thin young heifer. 
Navarro shook his poncho at her, when to our utter amazement, 
she charged furiously and Navarro narrowly escaped by taking 
to the fence. This was the fiercest and wildest of all and few 
there were who would face her. I never saw in the bull rings 
better pluck in any animal. After the show we all adjourned 
and had a splendid dinner with Col. Pereira, speeches, wines, etc., 
most of us in shirt sleeves and trousers, and considering where we 
all were and the free and easy life we led interspersed with a new 
excitement every day, the whole affair was charming. Shut off 
from all the world, amongst a hostile people who watched our 
every movement, not knowing what horror might meet us to- 
morrow, we seemed to feel all; yet delivered ourselves up to the 
enjoyment of the time with the carelessness that always accom- 
panies a soldier. During the day we saw anxious groups of 
Chunchos across the river watching our (to them) strange ac- 
tions. 

(Note.) 

The following note and plan (No. 33) are copied from a letter written 
by Engineer Stevenson. 

"This is merely a sketch and does not pretend to be exact. 
A few days ago a scouting party went ahead and reported seeing 
a large river which we have every reason to believe is the Pau- 
castambo which was known only by tradition and reports of a 
few Jesuit Missionaries who have ventured into this country in 
past times. That it was so near San Ramon no one ever sup- 
posed, being only six or seven leagues; in fact I may say all that 
is known of this country are only such reports as the Jesuits have 
given. Lieut. Herndon U. S. N. in 1853-4 tried to go down the 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 65 

Perene but gave it up and went down from Mayso on the Pach- 
itea. He made a report to the Government and it is a Pubhc 
Document. From what point the river Paucastambo comes no 
one knows. In fact the geography of the interior of Peru is in a 
state of chaos. We shall make as correct a map of this route as 
possible." 

"Steamers of a Brazilian Company come to Nanta two or 
three times each month, and run very regularly doing an immense 
business. Peru owns several ships (three I think) in the Ucayali 
and Huallaga but they are of no use for they do not run and are 
tied up and rotting very fast." 



66 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




No. 33 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



67 



m 


IIW9 


I' 


HyH 




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J. ^^. 


^^^ '^^..lyHlE^M^^^^H^H^Hl 




£^^9H 


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Ij^^^-^H^I^&HK^^^^^^^^^H 



SENOR WOLF, OUR NOBLE DOG— ^our firm and great friend that 
we took from Lima from Mr. Young, and to whom we returned him. 
Taken at Nijandares, May 1869. 



Monday, May 3rd. 

Commenced work at Astillero at 7 a. m. as usual, set Cholos 
at work hewing out frames for bottom of boat 6"x6"xlQ'. Saw- 
yers and carpenters still at work on small boats at camp. The 
Indians work with interest and try hard to give us satisfaction. 

Tuesday, May Uh. 

Continued work as usual at Astillero; marked out logs for 
sawing the planks 23^"xl5"x34' and set one up on frame. Con- 
tinued work on bottom frames also on small boats. 



68 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

By a regulation of the camp two shots of rifle or pistol fired in 
succession was to be the signal of an attack from the Chunchos 
or that the party firing was in great danger and needed imme- 
diate assistance. We always carried our rifles and pistols with 
us and kept them close to our hands. At 3 p. m. I thought I 
would fire off mine and then give it a good cleaning as it had not 
been used for some time, so I fired four shots in succession, entirely 
forgetting the rule; in a few moments down came Col. Pereira, 
Mr. Nystrom, followed by the few troops at the camp, the four 
carpenters, Antonio and three or four Chinamen. Expecting that 
we had been surprised by the Chunchos, they were much chagrined 
at my carelessness in forgetting the rule and giving them such 
a run and fright for nothing. I explained to Col. Pereira. The 
affair showed that each man was alive to what kind of a people 
these Chunchos are. On returning to camp we had considerable 
news to learn. Col. Pereira had sent a small party of twelve 
men ahead to scout and see the general character of the country 
through which must run his road. This party went ahead a 
distance of three leagues, when from the top of a high hill they 
saw a large river coming into the Perene from the Northeast 
and of the same size; that this is the "Rio Paucastambo" and 
that San Francisco is "Nijandares" on the map of "Father 
Sobreviela del Colegio de Ocopa en 1790," there is no shadow of 
doubt; but that the confluence of the Perene and Paucastambo 
is only eight leagues from Fort San Ramon surprised us. A 
party will start in a few days to make further explorations. 
Great numbers of men, women and children were seen about the 
confluence of the rivers, the men at work taking salt from the 
Curo de Sal, and the women washing. This evening my dog 
Bruin whom I got in Acobamba came into camp after an absence 
of three days with a fletche in his nose some four inches and 
broken off close to the skin, also another wound in the fore leg. 
I had to kill him in a few days on account of a small worm that 
attacks and lives in any bruises on men or animals in this climate 
and is very difficult to get rid of. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 69 

Wednesday, May 5th. 

Continued work at x\stillero as usual. Commenced sawing 
planks. Cholos do remarkably well and show a great amount of 
intelligence. They have sawed fifty-eight square feet today, a 
good day's work. Continued getting out boat frames and poles 
for house. Commenced setting up small boats at camp. A very 
heavy thunder shower in the afternoon. 

Thursday, May 6th. 

Continued work as usual at Astillero. Set hewers at work 
on an immense log near the road fully one thousand feet from the 
saw frame. The log will dress 15"xl5"x5Q'. I cut it down to 
forty-six feet, owing to a slight injury it got in falling; it was of a 
white, rather soft but firm wood, the name of which no one knew. 

Friday, May 7th. 

Moved log hewed yesterday to the frame, a good forenoon's 
work for twenty men. Maj. Benel took charge of it. I did not 
go down in the afternoon owing to a slight indisposition. We 
have lived on almost an unvarying diet since coming to camp. 
For breakfast at 10 a. m. Chargui or Chalone soup con arroz y 
yuccas, beef steak with onions, boiled yuccas, hard bread and 
rice, with a glass of Aguardiente or Cone rum made in Chancha- 
mayo. This thing was repeated day after day and the efl^ect is 
I am quite ill. 

Saturday, May 8th. 

Busy as usual in the forenoon, not liking to give up entirely. 
Finished log and now have one hundred and twenty-nine square 
feet of two and one-half foot planks and the men well drilled 
with the whip saw. We shall need about seven hundred and 
fifty square feet of planking for the boat, which will require fifteen 
days to saw. 

Sunday, May 9th. 

Col. Pereira sent out two parties of about twenty each in 
different directions to explore for yuccas and other things. Yuc- 
cas are a variety of our grain and are very nutritive and whole- 
some. Near our camp at Nijandares we found a fine large field 



70 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

of six or seven acres just ready for use; these are now nearly gone 
and we must have more. About 3 p. m. the parties returned, 
one laden with spoils the other with nothing. The first had found 
large fields of yuccas, corn, comotis, cotton, cacao, tobacco, etc., 
quite near, seen quite a number of Chunchos, explored their 
houses and brought back great quantities of fletches and house- 
hold articles, consisting of musical instruments, cotton bags, bas- 
kets, war clubs, bows, masks, etc., in great number. I commenc- 
ed sketches of many of them but could not finish them because we 
left too soon. I did not go with the parties, being too weak and 
unwell. Had to shoot Bruin today. This afternoon a small 
party arrived from Fort San Ramon, one man wounded in the 
forehead and in the side with fletches. Their mules were also 
struck. The Chunchos are getting very bold and fire at every 
party over the road and you may rest assured we are alive to our 
situation. Dined with Col. Pereira and party. 

Monday, May 10th. 

Went to the work at Astillero as usual but had to return at 
9.30 and lie down for the rest of the day and remain quiet. 
Had a long talk with Major Benel in the evening. He has had 
trouble with Mr. Nystrom today and declares he cannot put up 
with his overbearing manners any longer and that he shall re- 
turn to Lima by the first opportunity. Mr. Nystrom is a very 
passionate man and a man easily excited and not always a per- 
fect gentleman and I imagine he has offended Benel today be- 
yond his endurance. Considering that he is a Peruvian and that 
he has not been or was not at first, in sympathy with the expedi- 
tion and did not wish to come, I am not surprised at this termi- 
nation. Also no doubt Col. Pereira has fomented matters, as 
he (Col. P.) hates Mr. Nystrom and would do anything to get 
rid of him and prevent Mr. Nystrom from accomplishing the 
purpose of the expedition. Launched the small boat. Leaks 
some, hauled it up. 

Tuesday, May llth. 

Continued work at Astillero. The river has been falling 
quite rapidly for the last few days and it became necessary to 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 71 

seek another place for launching the boat, as we found a large 
pile of stones just ahead of old foundation, selected a new spot 
about twenty yards above and commenced to clear it. Measured 
the width of the river by triangulation and found it two hundred 
and fifty-five feet wide. Launched the small boat again. Mr. 
Nystrom and Antonio in it, but owing -to the bad placing of the 
thole pins could not make it work well. Hauled it up again and 
the next day they were placed as I originally proposed that is as 
oars are usually pulled in a man of wars gig or dingey. Two 
parties of twenty each went out at midnight to lie in wait or 
ambush with the hopes of meeting and capturing some Chunchos. 
They had annoyed us much of late and no little uneasiness is felt 
about camp on our future safety. All seem to feel that some 
crisis is at hand, where and on whom will it fall.^* God knows. 

Wednesday, May 12th. 

Was too ill to attend to my duties and was obliged to keep 
quiet about camp. A party of Chinamen arrived from the fort, 
did not see our ambushing parties but were fired at by the 
Chunchos within a league of the camp. No one hurt but sev- 
eral very narrow escapes. They fired at the Chunchos with 
their old muskets and showed an amount of courage that I 
never supposed a Chinaman capable of. Mr. Nystrom, who 
had remained at Astillero nearly all day, sat down on the river 
bank at the new foundation and was such a good mark that 
the Chunchos fired at him some ten or twelve times from over 
the river where there are some five or six houses and hit very close 
to him. One fletche struck just beside him, others over to the 
right, to the left, and in front; very close. They returned the 
fire which brought a party down from camp, but not such a 
party as I brought by my alarm. We are used to these things 
now and send only one half instead of the whole. The ambush- 
ing party returning, saw the Chinamen pass, found a series of 
works, regular rifle pits, along the road but saw no Chunchos. 
Just at dark we saw two Chunchos pass along the edge of the 
clearing around the camp about ten rods off, and when discov- 
ered plunged into the woods. We are coming to exciting times. 



72 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

Thursday, May 13th. 

Was at the work at Astillero most of the day superintending 
setting up new foundation and getting out knees and frames. 
At 10 a. m. I sent a man to the river for a bucket of water when 
from over the river came a shower of fletches. I heard his cry, 
jumped to the river bank and commenced to fire with my pistol 
as my rifle was at the saw frame some five or six rods distant. 
The carpenters had their rifles at hand as also did the soldiers. 
We fired and received fletches all about us, very near. After we 
had fired they stopped. I do not suppose we hit any of them as 
they were hid in the bushes, but we delivered several volleys into 
their houses. A squad came down from camp. I preserved the 
fletches. 

Friday, May 14//z. 

Continued work at Astillero. Levelled up foundation and 
set bottom frames, continued sawing and hewing knees. Lieut. 
Navarro with five soldiers left for Fort San Ramon with the mail 
and to bring provisions, having in charge some twenty Cholo 
workmen whose times are out. The party were fired at by the 
Chunchos, but no one was hurt beyond a slight graze. The 
working party at the head of the road about one and one-half 
miles from camp were also fired at by them and one man slightly 
hurt. The soldiers fired at them and they think several Chunchos 
were hit. 

Saturday, May 15th. 

Was at Astillero during the forenoon; continued work as 
before. Now have three hundred and fifty square feet of plank- 
ing cut, planks dressed, frames all ready, and but for the lack 
of the planks could set up the boat very quickly. The carpen- 
ters, four in number, are very anxious to get back to Fort 
San Ramon to see their familes who live there. Mr. Nystrom 
let them go until Monday as he is anxious to get more sawyers 
and saws as the Cholos have done poorly for the last few days 
and time is precious as the dry season is coming on fast and the 
river falling every day. The carpenters left at 1 p. m. on horse- 
back with their Ballard rifles, and very little work was done at 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 73 

Astillero. The small boat, altered as I proposed, was got out 
and Mr. Nystrom and Antonio took quite a row down to Astillero 
and back. Mr. Nystrom wants Col. Pereira to let a party cross 
tomorrow and destroy the houses on the other side, but Col. 
Pereira says he has not sufficient confidence in his boat to let 
his men risk themselves as not more than six can get in the boat 
at once. Surely it is a very risky thing to propose and carry 
through, but of the ability of the boat to perform its part I have 
not the slightest doubt and Col. Pereira's objection is in reality 
against Mr. Nystrom alone. Every day widens the breach be- 
tween them and Mr. Nystrom is now beginning to come to his 
real hard difficulties. His boats are bad — so bad they say, his 
workmen cannot saw any more, the whole camp is dissatisfied 
with and laugh at him and his work. Maj. Benel, his interpreter 
and most useful man, has left him; the carpenters wish to throw 
up the work. I do not think he has the correct plan or style of 
boat to descend the river. Have lost much of my confidence in 
him as an engineer, but stick by him and do the best I know 
how. I speak freely with him on these matters and have his con- 
fidence; tell him when I think he makes a mistake and propose 
my way out of the difficulty. I must confess that with him for 
a leader I doubt the practicability of our getting through to 
Mainique and hope for a change by wdiich I can honorably re- 
turn to my ship. While at the same time I regret O! how^ sin- 
cerely, that I cannot have the confidence in him that will take us 
through on that journey that will enable me to satisfy a laudable 
ambition to be ranked with such men of our own navy as Lieut. 
Herndon and Lieut. Gibbon, Maury, and others. This is really 
a dark day for our party and at sunset I left Mr. Nystrom silent 
and moody, no doubt aware and thinking of his position in our 
small house, and went up to the house of Col. Pereria and officers 
where I was always very, very warmly welcomed and sat down 
to have a cup of tea with them, a custom with Col. Pereira; and 
officers mess at about 6 p. m., which was slowly taken closing 
with the usual coffee; then the party sat around the table made 
of poles with plantain leaves for a table cloth, telling stories, 
playing cards or chess, while in the meantime Col. Pereira as 
senior officer made the tea which at about 7.30 was ready to be 



74 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

served, at which I was often present, always taking the seat at 
the right of Col. Pereira as the only representative of the Great 
United States present. This hospitality was doubly gratifying 
to me and it was around this table that I learned the little Spanish 
I knew. I shall never forget the kindness of Col. Pereria and his 
officers and they will always occupy a warm place in my heart for 
their many attentions to one who knew little, very little of their 
language. Whilst sitting around the table this evening, the new 
moon shedding her pale light from the west over the calm quiet 
scenery of Nijandare, Col. Pereira and I playing chess against 
Captain Curavarso, our quick ears heard the tramp of horses 
without the usual accompaniment of shouts to let us know that 
a friendly party was coming. To the Colonel's house rode the 
blacksmith and exclaimed to us, looking towards the dark roads 
from which he came, O! Mi Coronel dos soldados matados en la 
Pampa del Carmen. While he was relating to the eager crowd in 
breathless silence the horrors of that afternoon, the rest of the 
party arrived with the bodies of the murdered two. How ghastly 
they looked as the Colonel gave the order Armas tu! armas tu! 
And a doubly strong squad was placed around our horror stricken 
camp. 



Sketch of the Pampa del Carmen 

From the many conflicting accounts of the encounter, I 
think the following is very near the true case, and with references 
to the following sketch will describe the whole affair. 



J^.itCM^ '-H ^^U Z'^^-;^^^/^^ aU.L t 



H 



^..^'^. ir'i^ ''^-'. 




















Soon after noon on the 15th of May Lieut. Navarro with 
five soldiers and three Chinamen left Fort San Ramon for Ni- 
jandares with the mail and provisions. The Chinamen had 
mules of cargo to set up a fonda in Nijandares, their progress be- 
ing slow. On arriving at the hill of San Bernardio about a 
league from Fort San Ramon and three and one-half leagues from 
Nijandares, Lieut. Navarro on horseback went ahead with two 
soldiers, leaving the others about one and one-half miles behind. 
When they arrived at the point B they were attacked by a large 



76 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

party of Chunchos formed in line of battle, the young men in 
front firing fletches handed them by the old men formed in their 
rear, while over all one large and powerful Chuncho commanded. 
The men retreated back into the pampa, rallied and drove back 
the Chunchos to near the point D where they stood their ground 
for some time until the two soldiers were both badly wounded, 
one of them having his left arm fastened to his body by a fletche, 
but still continuing to load and fire at the Chunchos. Lieut. 
Navarro then seeing that all resistance was useless gave the 
order to fall back to the road and try to reach the other party in 
their rear and while doing so the Chunchos got in their rear near 
the point C, waited until they arrived then delivered another 
volley of fletches, dropped their arcos or bows, rushed out, seized 
one of the soldiers at the point (1) and the other at the point ('2). 
Over the head of the soldier at (1) they broke his own musket, 
knocked out his teeth, cut his throat and cut ofl^ his fingers and 
feet. While engaged in murdering the soldier at (2), Lieut. Na- 
varro who had seen the hopelessness of trying to save them, badly 
wounded as they were, had galloped up the hill of San Bernardio, 
found and hurried up the others of the party and reappeared on 
the brow of the hill at F, where he had first commenced to fire at 
the Chunchos. When the four carpenters (or more correctly 
three carpenters and one blacksmith) galloped out of the woods 
on the other side of the pampa and so great was the fright of the 
party at F, that they at first mistook them for more Chunchos 
mounted. The Chunchos seeing a party on both sides of them 
firing rapidly, quickly retreated to the river and crossed at E on 
their Balsas. The two parties met at the dead bodies of the 
murdered two, and after consultation, threw off the cargo of two 
mules, placed on them the bodies and commenced their march 
for Nijandares where they arrived about 7.30 in the evening. 
The carpenters had left Nijandares at 1 p. m. and passed along to 
a point about half a mile north of B where at a turn of the road 
they were met by a volly of fletches which did no damage beyond 
fastening the coat of one to his saddle and giving one of the horses 
a slight wound. They returned the fire as they galloped ahead. 
Soon they reached B and saw lying in the road the poncho or 
cloak of Lieut. Navarro. This heightened their fears which were 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 77 

not lessened when they reached the open pampa where they saw 
the Chunchos busy about the two bodies and the small party on 
the hill firing at them. They charged on the Chunchos who re- 
treated as before described. The whole party returned to Ni- 
jandares without further molestation. 

Of the number of Chunchos there are various rumors, prob- 
ably thirty-five or forty. Lieut. Navarro's party and the car- 
penters think there could not have been less than eighty or one 
hundred that they saw scattered along the road that afternoon. 

This statement of Sanchas, the carpenter, I am disposed to 
believe not far from correct, for he is a man of quiet tempera- 
ment, older than the others, and would act the coolest in such an 
affair. His statements were altogether the most satisfactory. 
The two soldiers had more than twenty fletches in their bodies 
that we counted. They were carried back of the camp at Ni- 
jandares and buried that night, care being taken to destroy all 
traces of their graves. I slept none but walked with the patrol- 
ing party, visiting every few moments the guards posted at the 
four angles of the camp. Little was said as all seemed to feel 
that the impending horror had come and fearing for another yet 
worse. I forgot to mention that one of the Chinamen followed 
the retreating Chunchos to the bank of the river, firing at them 
both with his musket and with stones. The Chunchos fired at 
but did not hit him — a plucky fellow. 

Sunday, May 16th. 

Being Sunday of course no work was done. An air of sad- 
ness and gloom hangs over all the camp, as many rumors are 
flying about of what is to be done. 

Col. Pereira and Major Benel called at our house when a 
long conference was had. The Colonel disclosed his intention of 
breaking up the camp, returning to the fort, going to Lima and 
demand more troops; considering that the number we have at 
present insufficient to maintain communications and protect 
the working parties. This last Mr. Nystrom would not grant, 
maintaining that he had sufficient to carry on his work, letting 
the road remain as at present and keep up communication with 
the fort; in the meantime sending to Lima dispatches by one of 



78 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

his officers stating the necessity of more troops. To this Col. 
Pereira would not consent, saying that it was dangerous to all 
to remain with so few soldiers. We had about thirty-three, mostly 
Celedores. I counted in camp seventy guns, including sporting 
guns and rifles and seven revolvers. Col. Pereira later in the day 
gave the order to break camp on Wednesday morning and that 
everything would be taken to the fort or bridge. 

Of the folly of this measure I was fully convinced, so stated 
it and always shall. My advice founded on my own belief, was, 
first, that we had sufficient forces to hold our camp, a very impor- 
tant point for future operations, and keep up our communications 
with the fort. Let the work on the road and boat remain at a 
standstill, send to Lima for more forces, which from the urgency 
of the demand would no doubt have been sent immediately, sec- 
ond, that our abandoning this point where all had comfortable 
quarters, which we could not expect to find on our return, judg- 
ing by the blackened posts in our rear, for what in reality was a 
slight affair, would give a bad impression in Lima and greatly 
hinder the ultimate completion of the expedition, besides em- 
boldening the Chunchos, for was it a brave thing to retreat with 
two hundred and twenty-five men with over one hundred 
shots among them because a small party had been attacked 
by twenty times their number and two killed. Third, that 
abandoning the camp would throw on Col. Pereira a great 
responsibility because by his action Mr. Nystrom was absolved 
from all blame for not completing his expedition. A month 
more would have finished our boat at iistillero. All we have 
done must be destroyed and the whole done over. Mr. 
Nystrom put to a great deal of expense by reason of the trip to 
Lima, loss of stock, etc., all of which Col. Pereira must bear and 
take the responsibility. All these points were presented to Col. 
Pereira but he, nevertheless, gave the order and took the respon- 
sibility. That we were in a bad position I readily grant, but that 
we had not forces enough to protect ourselves in camp as well as 
provisions, I absolutely deny. So comes to an end all my hopes 
to complete the work of Lieutenant Herndon on the "Ucayali," 
and with the disappointment an end of my part in the Chancha- 
mayo expedition. At sunset the guards were posted and what 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



79 



with the excitement and the disappointment I could not sleep, 
but walked as before with the officer of the guard. 




i 



NO. 30 



Chunto Palm (a Variety). 

The trees grow to the height of 50 or 60 ft. and are as straight 
and smooth as a flag stafi^, the leaves only appearing on the top 
in a dense thick drooping cluster. From a-b, (No. 30) that is the 




NO. 31 



80 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

new growth — the tree is soft, the heart of which, about an inch in 
diameter when taken out and while fresh makes one of the most 
delicious salads I ever ate and when boiled resembles cabbage. 
We used it very often and it was the only vegetable we had ex- 
cept yuccas that we found there. Potatoes and onions were the 
only ones we brought with us. The body of the tree was like this 
section. The outer rim a a a a was hard and of great strength. 
The inner part b was soft and spongy. From the rim a-a, (No. 31) 
fletches are sometimes made although they are generally made 
from the Chunto negro or black Chunto, a variety that is jet 
black and covered on the outside with long hard spines. The 
Indians also make their bows from the Chunto negro as also 
many implements tools, etc. 

Monday, May llth. 

Commenced to pack and arrange our cargoes, which owing 
to the scarcity of mules must be divided into lots of not over 
forty pounds each so that the Cholos can easily carry them on 
their backs in addition to their own tools and small kit, altogether 
a load of about eighty pounds. This load they will carry day 
after day provided they have a full supply of cacao. The march 
will be forced through in one day, as it is about twenty-five miles 
to the fort. 

In the evening Mr. Nystrom and I were playing a game of 
chess in our house, the candle being placed between us, I heard 
something drop quite near and looking saw a fletche quivering 
where it had struck within twenty inches of us and not over one 
foot out of line from the candle. From known distances it could 
not have come less than six hundred feet. In the morning we 
found five others quite near our house. Was up most of the 
night as before. 

Tuesday, May IHth. 

Was at the river early to take a bath and while there saw 
many Chunchos about half a mile up the river come down to the 
bank and cross to the other side. They had probably been 
scouting on our side of the river during the night. Busy most of 
the day packing and arranging the cargoes, many things had to 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 81 

be thrown away, among which were most of our preserved meats, 
vegetables, bottled wines, ales, etc. During the afternoon Mr. 
Nystrom, Senor Puente and the carpenters took a run to Astillero, 
coming quickly on the place with the hopes of surprising some 
Chunchos, but none were to be seen. Everything was as we had 
left it on Saturday afternoon. I did not care to see again the 
place that had interested me so much during its progress and 
bid another farewell to it, so therefore remained at camp. At 
Astillero we had erected a fine house for the woods and had 
many little things in which I was so much interested that I did 
not wish to see again only to say farewell; a laudable ambition 
so unnecessarily defeated is hard to brook. Mr. Nystrom and 
party vented their spite by firing into the houses on the other 
side of the river. Was up most of the night as before. During 
the packing, hurrying and confusion, my collection of about two 
hundred insects and butterflies and my collection of plants just 
commenced were all destroyed by a big Cholo's foot, trampled 
in the dust and scattered to the four winds of heaven several 
hours before I found it out. Everything seems to go against me. 
On this collection I had spent much time, knowing well its value 
and taken the greatest interest to have the specimens well kept, 
and such notes of time and location as would serve to identify 
them. I had saved for over a month all the newspapers I could 
get to make my flower press and had just erected it a few days 
before. 

Wednesday, May 19th. 

All hands were called at 3 a. m. and the preparations made 
to commence the retreat as early as possible. Through the 
kindness of Col. Pereira I was furnished with a horse to ride, a 
kindness I greatly appreciated long before I got to the fort. 

At 4 a. m. we served rations and loads to the Cholos and com- 
menced to load the mules. At 5.55 a. m. all was ready and the 
van moved out of camp, the others as follows. 



82 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 



Order of Retreat From Nijandares to Ft. San Ramon. 



Capt. Caravarso x 
Lieut. Rechie x 
Carpenters .r 
Stevenson x 
6 Soldiers 

100 Cholos with burdnes 
Col. Pereira x 
Mr. Nystrom x 
10 Soldiers 
Lieut. Navarro x 



Advance 



Centre 



50 Cholos with burdens 
Lieut. Guerro x 
6 Soldiers 
Lieut. Mendota x 
50 (?) Cholos scattered among Cattle and Sheep 
10 (?) Soldiers ) 

Major Benel > Rear 

Quarter Master Vicuna x ) 

Those persons marked with an .r were on horseback. This 
line was kept up to the bridge. 

Major Benel was the last to leave camp, leaving at 6.15. 
With frequent halts in the pampas to rest and with cheers from 
the Chunchos accompanied with fletches in one place which only 
caused the fire arms to rally at the center and deliver several 
volleys, we arrived at the bridge at 5 p. m., causing great com- 
motion among the Haciendas of Chanchamayo and innumerable 
questions as to the meaning of all returning. I staid only a 
short time at the bridge but pushed on to the fort where Mr. 
Nystrom had arrived ahead of me and we soon sat down to a 
good dinner, not with the feelings I have desired, not those of 
triumph, but those of blasted hope and bitter disappointment at 
our unnecessary defeat. 

About two hundred and twenty-five or two hundred and 
thirty persons all told filed out of camp that morning, making a 
sight as we passed in single file that must have made glad the 
hearts of every Chuncho on the Perene. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 83 

But little more remains to be told. At the fort we had 
difficulty in getting mules and horses to take us to Lima. A 
horse was bought for me and two cargo mules. We left Fort 
San Ramon on Saturday, May 22nd, and arrived at Huacapis- 
tana at 8.30 p. m., only three of the original party, Mr. Nystrom, 
myself and Senor Puente. All the baggage save two small car- 
goes of personal effects were left at the Hacienda of Senor Bur- 
meo in Chanchamayo until Mr. Nystrom's return. All my in- 
terest in the expedition is gone and I dread the ride over the 
mountains to Lima two hundred and ten miles. 

Sunday, May 'iSrd. 

Left Huacapistana at 8.30 a. m., arrived at Pulca at 3.50 
p. m., Tarma at 8.30 p. m., and after a light supper turned into 
bed between sheets for the first time since leaving Lima, and 
had my clothes off tonight for the first time in ten days. Of 
course I slept soundly far into the next morning. 

Spent the few days about Tarma in making calls on old 
friends and helping Mr. Nystrom settle up and arrange his af- 
fairs. After much trouble with the Sub Prefect Santa Maria, 
the Governor and the arriero, we finally left Tarma. 

Wednesday, May ^6th. 

Are very anxious to get off for Lima. At 3 p. m. three poor 
old crow baits of horses came that should have come at 10 a. m. 
Mr. Nystrom refused to take them and sent the governor off to 
look up more. The horse bought for me proved himself an easy 
rider and I wished for no change. Mr. Nystrom's mule is used up 
and he must take another. Finally at 11 p. m. we got started 
and as the moon was at her full could see to travel very well. 
Rode all night and at 6 a. m. arrived at Aroya, stopped for break- 
fast and to bait the mules and 8 a. m. found Capt. Caravasso at 
Aroya. He had got off the road and refound it. Then he came 
to Lima with us. 

Thursday, May ^llth. 

Left Aroya and arrived at Morococha at 5 p. m. and were 
again warmly welcomed by the Messrs. Fluckers, who were 



84 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

much interested in our story. Much more snow was to be seen. 
The air was colder but none of us felt in the least any inconven- 
ience from the rarity of the atmosphere which somewhat sur- 
prised me. 

Friday, May ^8th. 

Left Morococha at 7 a. m., stopped an hour at San Mateo 
for dinner and arrived at Matacuna at 8.15 p. m. We went 
directly to our old lodging place and were warmly welcomed as 
soon as recognized and offered every convenience. 

Saturday, May Wth. 

LTp very early and got started at 6 a. m., stopped at Luico 
one and one-half hours for breakfast and arrived at Chosica at 
5.30 p. m., stopped for the night. This is the best lodging house 
I saw anywhere on the road and is kept by several fine looking 
negresses. Had a fine "chupe" and supper and turned in be- 
tween sheets for the second time since leaving Lima. 

Sunday, May 30th. 

Up very early and left Chosica at 5.30 a. m., stopped at 
Chucnas on the road and got a bite. Mr. Nystrom and Capt. 
Caravasso rode ahead and got into the city over an hour ahead of 
us. Senor Puente and I left the cargoes and went ahead from 
Santa Inez and when we turned a spur of the mountains and 
saw before us Lima with the sea for a background my spirits 
once more returned and soon we were among the streets of the 
city, the observed of all; for two dusty travellers with old 
ponchos, very dusty, dirty hats, big boots, rifles across knees on 
pommel of saddle, revolvers strung at the side, are apt to make 
people look and make remarks. Ladrones, "Caballeros del 
Camino" and other remarks of similar import. These things 
did not frighten us and we soon dismounted at the Hotel Maury 
at 3.30 p. m. and when the cargoes came an hour afterwards 
and I was left in my room with all my traps H. N. Stevenson 
was no longer a member of the exploration party to Chanchama- 
yo. In the hotel I met Mr. Ells, an American gentleman in 
business in Lima, and as my big spurs and heavy boots clanked 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 85 

over the marble floor I was really an object of much curiosity. 
In a little while he returned with Webb of the "Dacotah" and I 
was never in my life so glad to welcome anybody and hear the 
news. In a very short time thanks to water, a barber and a tailor, 
I was quite a respectable looking person and once again sat down 
to a civilized dinner at the hotel, took a short walk around 
the city, and after dinner, turned in very early and slept very, 
very soundly. 

Monday, May ^\st. 

Met Butterworth and learned all the news. Admiral Turner 
now has command of the whole Pacific fleet, north and south 
having been consolidated, he has gone north to take the "Pen- 
sacola" for his flagship. Ordered the "Powhattan" home, the 
"Kearsage" to the Islands and Australia, the "Tuscarora" or- 
dered to join the West India station, the "Dacotah" to go to 
navy yard at San Francisco for general repairs, for which port 
she will start in a few days, so that I can again gain my old ship. 
Row Wylie, 2nd Asst. died at Callao of yellow fever. 

I had been ordered to join the "Powhattan" previous to my 
departure with Mr. Nystrom and she is now in Callao waiting 
for the mail of tomorrow when she will start for home, "New 
York." They still want me and as I do not wish to go, preferring 
to go to San Francisco, I have sent a letter to Capt. Spicer an- 
nouncing my return and that I require rest. My real object was 
to elude the "Powhattan" as then Capt. McDougal was the senior 
officer present and if I kept out of the way until she sailed to- 
morrow night Capt. Spicer will be the S. O. P. and will probably 
keep me on his "Dacotah." The following is the letter: 

Lima, Peru. 
May 31st, 1869. 
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I arrived in this 
city on the afternoon of yesterday from the interior of Peru and 
owing to the excessive fatigue arising from the journey, as we 
have travelled all the days and much of the nights for the past 
five days, it is necessary that I remain in my room for the purpose 
of resting; this with the fact that I cannot obtain possession of 



86 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

my official papers until this evening prevents me from reporting 
to you in person this afternoon. Tomorrow I shall have the 

honor to do so. 

I am Sir very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

H. N. Stevenson, 



Comd. Wm. J. Spicer, U. S. N. 

Comd'g U. S. S. Dacotah, 3rd. 
Bay of Callao, Peru. 



3rd. Asst. Eng. U. S. N. 



So that I was in fact a prisoner in my room at the hotel. 
The time I improved in copying notes and arranging them for 
my report. 

Wednesday, June 'ind. 

I learned that the old "Powhattan" had sailed for New York 
and I therefore made my appearance on board the "Dacotah," 
and was very warmly welcomed by all as a rumor had reached the 
ship that I had remained in Tarma or Fort San Ramon. I re- 
turned ashore and went back to Lima and remained until Friday, 
the fourth, when I came down with all my traps and took up my 
quarters on the "Dacotah" once more. Since Wylie's death 
Symmes had had a bunk out of which I was very sorry to turn 
him but to it I w^as entitled so that I am now simply Third 
Assistant Engineer H. N. Stevenson and no longer a "Civil 
Engineer" with a scientific exploring expedition, and this is the 
end of the expedition to Chanchamayo. 

Callao, Thursday,June 10th. 

Having resumed my duties again I must chronicle the doings 
of the cruise. I have been ashore much during the past few 
days as I knew we would soon leave Callao and Lima behind. 
I had seen Major Benel, Col. Pereira and been entertained by 
them, made my farewell call on Mr. Nystrom, and taken my last 
look about Lima to which I am quite attached and I was sorry to 
say good bye. Flashed fires this morning to get under w'ay, as 
we have orders to proceed to San Francisco, California, without 
delay. At 9.50 called all hands "up anchor for home" and 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 87 

struck the "long peter." The words sounded welcome and all 
hands were glad to be bound once more to an American port. 
We rolled along at a good rate, making one day two hundred and 
forty-five miles and never lesss then two hundred and ten, until 
the 16th of June, when an old man, a consular passenger, died 
at 3 p. m., from lung fever and was buried at sea. 

There we left behind us one who had served his government 
in the navy during the war of 1812 and one who was in the 
famous battle of Com'd Porter's between the "Essex" and the 
"Phoebe and Cherub" in Valparaiso bay. This old man over 
seventy years of age was anxious to get back to the United States 
with his family, having been absent for many years. He was 
poor and had sent his wife and children to Panama by the mail 
steamer; he being sent by us by request of his Consul in Callao. 
Sad must have been his wife when she learned of her loss, and 
that her husband who longed to return to his native country to 
be buried, had met his grave ere we had sighted land. 

Thursday, June 17th. 

Came to anchor in Panama bay at 1.15 a. m. At daybreak 
got under way and came to anchor just astern of the U. S. S. 
"Jamestown." We stop for coal and do not expect to remain 
long. The "Jamestown" is bound to the Society and Feejee 
Islands in the South Pacific. 

Friday, June 18th. 

Went ashore at 10 p. m., and remained until sundown. 
Purchased some things and walked around the town. I cannot 
see much difl^erence in the aspect of the town, it is and will 
probably always will be a relic of a former period. The business 
men say that the opening of the Pacific road has affected their 
business and will still more as the current of trade and travel 
goes that way. They now talk very strongly of the ship canal 
and look to the United States government to push it through. 
The climate is very hot indeed, rather pleasing to me although 
very debilitating. It was a real comfort to get into one of the 
large rooms of the Grand Hotel, lay off and take it easy, as we 
used to when last here. I was ashore several times during our 



88 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

stay and purchased quite a number of articles of clothing which 
can be bought here very cheap, being a free port. While here had 
a visit from Moore of our class at the N. A. He is on the "Yan- 
tic" now lying at Aspinwall. 

Thursday, June 'iith. 

Having finished coaling ship got under way at 6.30 a. m. 
and stood out of the bay for Acapulco, Mexico. The heat at 
sea after some of the pleasant days spent in the grand hotel was 
intolerable, as to sleeping in our bunks and rooms it was next 
to impossible. Most all the officers slept on the poop deck. 
The coal we got from Panama is of a very poor quality, being 
government coal and lying out doors exposed to all the rain for 
over two years. We go along at five and one-half to seven knots, 
when on the same amount we should go eight and one-half to ten. 

Friday, July Ind, 1869. 

Sighted land and at 2.30 ran into Acapulco Harbor and 
come to anchor abreast of the town. We stop for coal. The 
next morning commenced taking in coal, and filled up while we 
stayed, taking fifty tons on deck, as the run to San Francisco is a 
long one. 

Went ashore several times during our stay. The bay is a 
completely land locked one, the entrance from the sea being like 
a letter S and as the bay is surrounded with high mountains the 
effect under a tropical sun is to make it the hottest sea port on 
the face of the globe. The town is in a dilapidated condition, 
much worse even than Panama; no life, activity or business, 
save such as is built up of the P. M. S. S. Co.'s steamers, all of 
which stop here, both ways, for coal. The city could be the 
busiest on the coast as the country to the interior is a beautiful 
and very rich one, but the Mexicans care more for revolutions 
than for a more substantial government. While we lay here 
coaling the 4th of July was celebrated by dressing ship and a big 
dinner at the United States Consul's, to which all the officers went 
that could. We spent most of our time at the California House, 
which had cool verandas and grass hammocks to lie in. I spent 
many a day in that way. Some few of our officers tried a horse- 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 89 

back ride but came back all blistered and burnt up with the sun. 
I did not try it. The old fortress is a curiosity; it was when 
built by the Spaniards several centuries ago a very formidable 
work, but during a revolution all the guns were pitched off the 
parapet and broken. It now mounts one small six pounder 
mounted on stones and rather blocked up. It is full of soldiers of 
some faction or other belonging to a revolutionary party. We ob- 
tained here a great variety of fruits, pet animals, as squirrels, 
monkeys, parrots, mongooese, fawns, etc. Before leaving we 
laid in several bushels of limes, which were a great addition to 
our water. Having finished coaling we again got ready for sea. 

Saturday, July 10th. 

x\t 6 p. m. called "all hands up anchor for the United States," 
at 6.30 got under way and steamed out of the bay bound for San 
Francisco, and by 8 were out of sight of land rolling along seven 
and seven and one-half knots with about three-fourths power. 
It seems as though we would never get out of the tropics, as ever 
since we were far below the equator we have had one continual 
hot, hotter, hottest. It does not trouble me as much as some 
others, as I feel it only at night when I have turned in and try to 
sleep in a place as hot as an oven. When going south we were 
cold enough, when going north hot and hotter. On the 13th we 
sighted Cape St. Lucas the southern end of lower California, and 
passed a P. M. S. S. Co.'s steamer bound south. The 15th was 
the first comfortable day we have had below for six months. 
We have a light head wind, which with the wind from the motion 
of the ship once more made our endurance possible. 

Wednesday, July ^Ist. 

Coal getting short, we have had strong head winds for some 
time and have not made as much as expected, are very near the 
coast. At sundown ran into a fog bank; anchored. 

Thursday, July 'i'ind. 

Started again in the morning; fog lifted some, stopped often 
for soundings; at last came to anchor again. When the fog lifted 
found we were only half a mile from shore off Point Pinas, en- 



^0 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

trance to Santa Cruz bay. Got under way at 10.30. Coal nearly 
all gone, using sweepings, old barrels, spars, oil and linings to coal 
bunkers. At 12 M came to anchor in Monterey Harbor, without 
fuel enough to last half an hour. 

Friday, July 'iSrd. 

Commenced to wood ship as no coal is to be had. Busy 
times going to the west taking in wood. Were sent ashore to 
receive it in the morning. 

Saturday, July 24<th. 

Went ashore in afternoon and took a ride with Webb, 
Symmes, Hyde and Earl out to Pt. Pinas light house. It was a 
sense of great gratification to put foot again on United States soil 
and hear your own language spoken. Monterey is a smart 
little town of some seven or eight hundred inhabitants and may 
some time become a large place as it is backed by a very fine 
country. We found plenty of peaches and other fruits which 
were much relished. Fired up with wood and at 9 p. m. stood 
out to sea again. 

Sunday, July ^5th. 

Sighted the Golden Gate, received a pilot and steamed up 
opposite the city. Many scenes such as I have not seen since 
I steamed down the Narrows of New York a year ago yester- 
day; both sides of the gate lined with forts, bright villages on 
either hand, a large city with miles of shipping along its port in 
the distance. xA.ll were on the lookout to see San Francisco, of 
which we have heard, read and thought so much. At 2 p. m. 
we anchored off the city, and until 7 p. m. glasses were in con- 
stant use. We received the navy pilot aboard at 7 p. m., got 
under way and ran up to within three miles of the yard and 
came to anchor too dark to run up. 

Monday, July 'i6th. 

At 7 p. m. came to anchor off the navy yard. Mare Island. 
Our journey to the United States finished, forty-six days from 
Callao, Peru. Was ashore at Vallejo, the navy yard, on the 
^'Pensacola." Saw" Ford and West, and came aboard at 10 p. m. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 91 

August I8th, IQth, Wth and ^Ist. 

Was in San Francisco again with Webb and Gates. Spent 
the time about town and every morning in the Mercantile Li- 
brary reading books. I cannot attempt to describe the city as 
I would like to and will wait until after I have seen more of it. 
Suffice it to say that the city is an interesting one and one which 
I am delighted to study and become accpiainted with. 

Tuesday, September 1th. 

Was very much surprised on being called into the cabin to 
receive orders detaching me from the "Dacotah" 3rd, and order- 
ing me to the U. S. Ship "Cyane" 3rd, to take charge of the steam 
tender finally bound for Sitka. Gates was understood to be the 
one selected for that duty, but as he had not had his examination 
suppose I was taken, being next on the list. Immediately all 
hands commenced to croak at me in real man of war style; 
that x\laska was an awful place and that I would never stand 
it, but as I had never asked favors or tried to evade orders, 
I concluded to report and go and the next day reported to 
Rear Admiral Thos. Craven and Commander L. Livingston 
Breese for duty. Lieut. Commander Dyer of the "Dacotah" 
was also detached and ordered as first lieutenant of the "Cyane." 
The time up to the LSth was occupied in getting my stores selected 
and on board. 

Monday, Sept. ISth. 

At L30 p. m. the crew detailed from the receiving ship 
came on board and mustered on the quarter deck. The executive 
officer of the yard. Captain Reed Werden, delivered to Comman- 
der Breese his orders to take command. Commander Breese 
ordered straps of pennant and ensign to be broken, made a short 
speech to the men, ordered "pipe down" and the LT. S. Ship 
"Cyane" was in commission with the following officers: 

L. Livingston Breese, Comd'g Comd'r; N. Mayo Dyer, Lt. 
Comd'r Ex-officer; C. B. Gill, Master Navigating Officer; C. 
Belknap, Ensign Warrant Officer; F. P. Gillmore, Ensign War- 
rant Officer; U. Sebree, Ensign Warrant Officer; H. G. Colby, 



92 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

P. A. Paym; R. A. Mannion, Asst. Surgeon; H. N. Stevenson, 
3rd Asst. EgT.; Kemp, Capt's Clerk; J. F. Biner, P'yni's Clerk. 

Was very busy getting stores on board and had a great deal 
of trouble, the officials of the yard seeming to think that they 
were parting with so much private property. Finally on Fri- 
day, the 17th, I passed the afternoon on board the "Dacotah". 
and took dinner with my old shipmates and spent the evening 
with them as we had spent many an evening before in song and 
poker. All seemed to enjoy it as we felt that it was the breaking 
up of the old crowd. Feeling that all things must come to an end 
I bade them all good-bye and went aboard the "Cyane," to awake 
the next morning at 6 a. m., when I found the ship under way, 
being bound to San Francisco, where we arrived at 1 p. m. Im- 
mediately went ashore and bought many little things I needed for 
my comfort, came off to the ship at 9 p. m. and found that 
Comd'r Breese had been relieved from command and that Dyer 
had been placed in command of the ship. 



An Expedition to Korea. 

U. S. S. Alliance, 
Yokohama, Japan, 
Nov. 4th, 1891. 
Our trip to Korea is now over, we having arrived at Che- 
mulpo, Korea, on Friday the 20th, and the next day Mr. Heard, 
the United States Minister for whom the trip was taken, left the 
ship with his family and party to return to the Capital. We first 
went to Gensan on the Northeast coast, thence to Fusan at the 
Southeast corner, then to Ping Yang, (via Nagasaki, Japan, for 
coal), on the Northwest coast. This latter post was the most 
interesting, as we have an opportunity to see something besides 
the coast. If you will look on a map of Korea, you will see that 
the Northwest boundary is made by the Yalu river about lati- 
tude forty North. Some sixty miles south of this is Ta-Tong or 
Ping Yang River, about latitude thirty-nine North. The North- 
west Province of Korea is called Ping-Yang and as it has not 
yet been opened to foreigners, very little is known about it. Our 
Minister was very anxious to see this province and had the proper 
papers and authority from the King and Government to do so. 
On our arrival at Ta-Tong, or Ping- Yang inlet, we went up a fine 
beach, some thirty miles where the ship came to anchor and from 
where the party was to start to go to Ping-Yang city some forty- 
five miles up the river. This city is the Capital of the province 
and to visit it, Mr. Heard had three officers from the ship to ac- 
company him, of whom I was one. We took our steam launch, 
having in tow one of the ship's large boats to carry stores, food, 
bedding, &c. The party consisted of Mr. Heard the Minister, 
three officers of the ship, twelve sailors and two Chinese servants. 
The interpreter with the chairs and chair bearers went overland, 
having started the day previously. Our party left the ship at 
7.30 a. m., Nov. l^th, and all day ran up the Ta-Tong river, 
which winds through a wide fertile plain with beautiful hills in 
the background on both sides to bound the valleys. We had im- 
perfect charts and ran aground several times, and finally became 



94 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




KOREAN PHOTOGRAPHS 

Photographs taken by Ensign C. C. Marsh, U. S. Navy, during a Cruise 
of the U. S. S. "Alliance" while Escorting Hon. Augustine Heard, U. S. 
Minister to Korea, to the various parts of that country, Oct. and Nov. 1891. 

GEN-SAN— N. E. Part of Korea 
Japanese Settlement 



stuck about two miles below Ping- Yang city, and leaving the 
steam launch there in charge of one of the officers and its crew, 
Mr. Heard, myself and the rest of the party took the pulling 
cutter and pulled up to the east gate of the city, for it is surround- 
ed by a high heavy walled fortification, arriving about 8 p. m. 
As we came up we found the landing place occupied by a battal- 
lion of troops and bearers all having lanterns, some hundred and 
fifty in numbers. We landed and were received amid the blast of 
trumpets and bugles, being met by Mr. Heard's interpreter and 
the Mayor of the town, who soon had a procession formed, each 
of us seated in a sedan chair borne by four coolies and escorted 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



95 




KOREA 

House of common people, roof thatched. 

In middle foreground a rice hulling mill. Korean houses are almost 
without exception one-storied, very low, rooms small, (8' x 8') is a large one). 
The people usually squat as seen, and in all parts of the country you see them 
this way unless busy at some work. Their costume is all white except for 
the nobility where colors are used. 



by the troops and lantern bearers. With flourish of trumpets 
and blasts of bugles, we were escorted through the town to the 
house prepared for our reception and occupation, for the Gover- 
nor of the province had had news of our coming and orders to 
show us all attentions. 

The house is a public building used for just such visits as 
ours; it is not ordinarily used as a dwelling and is situated not 
far from the landing place at the east gate and some sixty feet 
above the river, from which we had a magnificent view of the 
river, city and surrounding country. The house had a large 
open porch covered by a Chinese carved tiled roof with four en- 



96 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

closed rooms in rear covered by a separate tiled roof. These 
rooms had been cleaned up for us and were fitted with a bed 
in the bed room for Mr. Heard, with tables, chairs, so we 
were very comfortable. Mr. Heard had his small bed room 
to himself; we three officers at night spread our mattresses on 
the floor of the front room and the little room we used for our 
provisions, and there the two Chinese servants slept. The large 
room, 16x16, was used by the sailors. The cooking was done 
outside for the men on a camp stove brought along and for us 
in a yard of the house. The walls of these houses are but a 
light frame work covered with paper as also are the windows, for 
no glass is used in them. We were very comfortable, for the 
weather, though cold at nights, was not cold during any of our 
trip. To heat the houses the floors are built with glass running 
under them, and a fire built outside the house at one end makes 
the floor warm and comfortable. The first evening was taken 
up in getting settled, after our escort had left us. 

The Mayor left with us a Korean (who spoke a little Chinese, 
could talk to him through our Chinese boys), to look out for 
our wants of all kinds. During our stay he was in constant at- 
tendance on us and did everything for our comfort we could 
suggest. By ten o'clock all were turned in for a sound night's 
rest, for the long ride and delays had made us all tired. The 
Governor detailed a file of soldiers to guard our quarters who 
stayed there night and day during our visit of four days. The 
next morning Mr. Marsh went down to the steam cutter early 
with the Pulling boat and then succeeded in getting the steam 
launch over the shoals, then up to the landing at the east gate 
which brought all our party together. The morning was taken 
up pretty much in getting the things from the boats up to the 
house and getting settled down. We also had some official visits 
from the Mayor, magistrates, &c. 

In the afternoon, Mr. Heard paid his visit of ceremony to the 
Governor, we three officers going in full dress, (cocked hat, ep- 
paulettes, sword,), all being carried in sedan chairs; Mr. Heard 
and his interpreter in their own, sent up from the ship, we in 
those provided for us. The day was a perfect one, clear sun- 
light and a delicious autumn air. We were escorted through 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



97 




GROUP TAKEN ON U. S. S. "ALLIANCE", DURING TRIP TO 
KOREA, 1891 

1 Hon. A. Heard, U. S. Minister to Korea. 

2 Mrs. Heard. 

3 Miss Heard. 

4 Comdr. F. McCurley, U. S. Navy, Comm'g Alliance. 

5 Paymr. R. Frazer, U. S. Navy, LI. S. S. Alliance. 

6 Lt. Commdr. J. C. Rich, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

7 Lieut. R. Henderson, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

8 Ensign F. Boughton, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

9 P. A. Engr. H. N. Stevenson, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

10 Ensign C. Churchill, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

11 Ensign T. Washington, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 



the streets by a large guard of soldiers and were some half 
hour in reaching the Governor's home on a hill at the opposite 
side of the city from our house. The streets were lined, in fact 
crowded with people who all had the greatest curiosity to see the 
first party from a civilized nation to visit their city. Arrived 
at the Governor's house, we were received by him in full robes 



98 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

of his office, accompanied by his staff of officers, and were taken 
into his reception room. The Governor is a young man of thirty- 
four years, a cousin of the Queen, and has a fine intelhgent and 
impressive face. We remained half an hour and then were 
escorted back to our house. 

That same afternoon the Governor returned our visit being 
escorted by a large body of troops, and retainers, with banners, 
spears, &c.; it was truly a really splendid sight, for many of the 
retainers had on gorgeous robes of red and blue silk. The even- 
ing was spent in writing and collecting information from various 
people. As we went through the streets, we were surprised to 
see a tall genuine Yankee gentleman who saluted us and spoke a 
"How do you do." He proved to be one of the teachers from 
the Government School at Seoul on a tramp through the North- 
west province, a Mr. Moffat by name. The next day, Saturday, 
November 14th, taking chairs again and accompanied by a small 
guard of soldiers, we went out of the North gate to the tomb of 
the first Emperor of United Korea, who died some three thousand 
years ago. It was situated in a beautiful grove on the top of a 
steep conical hill and consisted of a pyramid of earth surmounted 
by various images of men and animals, some very ancient in form 
and some very recent, for they have on them yet the black pencil 
marks of the carvers. The whole was surrounded by a high 
modern stone masonry wall and was in perfect condition. From 
here we went south to the old city site where this king lived, for 
Ping- Yang is the old original capital of Korea. This old city lies 
south and adjacent to the modern city, having been built on a 
level plane and surrounded by earthen and stone walls. The 
streets were all wide, some sixty feet, straight, at right angles to 
each other. Some of these streets have been preserved and are 
used as roads, for the site of the old city is now a highly cul- 
tivated plain. Some six hundred years ago the city was moved 
north to a high rocky ridge which could be more easily walled 
and defended. The new city contains about seventy thousand 
people, the streets are narrow, crooked and dirty, the houses al- 
most without exception being only one story high, thatched with 
straw, and built with reeds or bamboo plastered over with mud. 
In the afternoon the Governor called with his retinue for us and 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 99 




FU-SAN — S. E. Part of Kon-a 

Japanese concession around hill on right, view from ship's anchorage. 
Fu-San is the largest and most important Japanese settlement in Korea, they 
have had a settlement here for several hundred years. 



escorted us to a boat at the river landing, a large flat boat some 
fifty feet long by fifteen feet wide, covered with a pavilion where 
we made ourselves comfortable on mats and cushions. 

A group of coolies on shore towed the boat along the river 
bank to a pavilion some one and one-half miles up the river on a 
hill two hundred feet high overlooking the river and valley. 
While going up we were offered cigars, wine, &c., and had for our 
amusement nine young girls on board, who played Korean music 
and sang native songs for us. There were three instruments, 
one much like a zither in shape and stringing, only the metal 
strings were struck instead of picked. The other two were of the 
nature of guitars though not at all like ours. The music though 
somewhat monotonous, was not loud or displeasing and occa- 
sionally we would get some very agreeable strains. Arriving at 



100 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




FU-SAN— S. E. Part of Korea 
Houses in Japanese Part of Town 
Shows picturesque use made of an old, original forest tree, instead of 
cutting it down when the house was built. Characteristic of the Japanese 
in their love for the beautiful and picturesque. 



the pavilion, a large open platform covered by a Chinese tiled 
carved roof. We took our places on a, raised platform at one 
end, while the three hundred soldiers and two hundred retainers 
formed a solid line around the house to keep off the immense 
crowd who had come to see the sights. At the opposite end of 
the lower platform the orchestra of one stringed fiddle, a flute 
very similar to ours held and played as we do, two flageolet like 
pipes, and two drums, one a base and the other like our tympa- 
num of an orchestra, were played for a while as an opening piece. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



101 




FU-SAN— S. E. Part of Korea 

Korean Coolies with wooden frames on backs for carrying burdens. 
This is the common way of taking freight from one part of the country to 
another, though cattle and horses are some used. People are carried in 
sedan chairs, though sometimes they ride horseback. 



not in the least disagreeable but not music, as we understand it, 
though occasionally we would get some very sweet chords and 
strains. The time was perfect and the whole was a great sur- 
prise to us. After this, for an hour or more the nine dancing 
girls gave us a succession of dances, which, as they were very 
gorgeously dressed, were exceedingly picturesque. The idea 
seemed to personate some beautiful flower or thought and though 
the dancing was little more than graceful posturing, we all were 
exceedingly pleased that we had seen it. During all these things 
we had plenty of cigars to smoke and occasionally a glass of wine. 
To wind up this part of the entertainment, the Governor had 
brought along a real Korean dinner, of not less than fourteen 



102 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




FU-SAN— S. E. Part of Korea 

Japanese street procession in Japanese part of town, on Emperor of 
Japan's birthday, Nov. 3rd, 1891. 

The figure in center is a huge paper cuttle fish with long arms, each car- 
ried by one person, the whole moved to imitate the motions of the animal. Ac- 
companying and surrounding are a group of men, boys and girls in gay cos- 
tumes, singing and dancing. The whole a very picturesque and novel scene 
of which the photo aives a faint idea. 



covers, warmed or cooked by his retainers, at the pavihon, for 
the courses were all hot. This took us over two hours to discuss 
and I fear I was very awkward, for I had to use chop sticks or go 
without, for there was nothing else to handle the food with but a 
large earthenware spoon and a small short knife. Most all the 
dishes were palatable and we made a hearty meal. Finally about 
8 o'clock (long after dark), we started back, all the soldiers and 
retainers, at least five hundred in number, bearing lanterns. xA.s 
we drifted down the river on this perfect moonlight night, the 
five hundred lantern bearers wended their way along the river 
bank and bluffs. The orchestra was in a separate boat and far 
enough off for the music to add a wierd effect to the picturesque 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



103 




PING-YANG CITY— N. W. Part of Korea 

House at angle of city wall occupied by our party, sixty feet above river. 
Taken from East Gate Pavilion shown on the opposite page looking north. 
Gateway to courtyard of our house in foreground. 

Ping- Yang is a walled city of not less than eighty thousand people, sit- 
uated on a ridge along the river bank, seventy miles up the river from the 
sea. River navigable for vessels drawing eighteen feet to within thirteen 
miles of city. The houses are many with thatched roofs, some have tile 
roofs, and are all one-storied save a few public buildings and residences of 
the nobility. Streets narrow, crooked and dirty. 



scene. Arriving home, the guards were set and we were not long 
in getting off to sleep after a day full of new and novel experiences. 
The dancing girls are a part of the retainers of the Governor's 
and form a band who go out to give entertainments to the 
wealthy. They are a feature of all eastern countries. Cele- 
brated ones often make large sums of money and rise to distinc- 
tion. I cannot attempt to describe the dresses, but they were 
often changed. If Marsh's photos come out well they will give 
some idea of them. Their ages were about seven or eight to 



104 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




P1X(;-YA\G CITY— N. \V. Part of Korea 

View from porch of our house looking North up the river. The hill on the 
right with faint white streak is that where the pavilion of picnic entertainment 
is situated. The streak is one of the outer defense walls of the city, and shows 
plainly in the picture following, in center back ground. 



about eighteen and several were very beautiful, while all were 
fine looking. 

The next day we devoted to visiting an outcrop of coal some 
four miles east of the city. This was my especial work and I 
gathered a good deal of information for Mr. Heard. The vein is 
eight to ten feet thick of anthracite, so far as I know or have 
heard the only anthracite in the east. The working so far is 
only an opening into the side of the hill, but I am sure from what 
I saw that the vein is a valuable one. I have drawn up a full 
report, with maps and specimens to send to the Government 
Navy Department and Smithsonian at Washington. 

This visit to the coal seam took all the morning. In the 
afternoon we paid a farewell call in full uniform to the Governor 
to thank him for all his attentions. The next morning we were to 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 



105 




PIXG-YANG CITY— X. W. Part of Korea 

View of face of coal seam, four miles east of East Gate of city. The 
vein is eight to ten feet thick of soft anthracite coal of good quality. The 
Government of Korea have worked this seam to a limited extent, taking out 
the coal for use in "Seoul", the capital, sending it by vessels to Chemulpo, 
ninety miles south of Ping Yang, and thence up the Han river to Seoul. 

1 Hon. A. Heard, U. S. Minister to Korea. 

2 P. A. Engr. H. N. Stevenson, U. S. Xavy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

3 Mr. Hong Kiran, Interpreter to U.. S. Legation. 

4 Korean Govt. Supt. of Mines. 



leave, at nine, for the ship and before doing so, the Governor called 
on us, as also did other officials, including the Mayor. At 9.15 
a. m. we got away, and barring three hours lost by getting 
aground had a fine run down the river, reaching the ship at 9 
p. m. and thus ended a very delightful experience. The weather 
during the whole of our five days' absence was perfect, not cold to 
discomfort, but somewhat cool the last day. We had bright 
moonlight each evening, the moon reaching its full the evening 
of otir return. We were a constant source of interest to the 



106 



JOURNAL AND LETTERS 




PING-YANG CITY— N. W. Part of Korea 
Group Taken at Pavilion on Day of Picnic 

1 Governor of the Province of Ping- Yang. (Is a cousin of the Queen 
of Korea). 

2 Hon. A. Heard, U. S. Minister to Korea. 

3 Mr. Hong Kiran (a Korean) interpreter to U. S. Legation. 

4 Lt. Comdr. Rich, U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Alliance. 

5 P. A. Engr. Stevenson, U. S. Navy, U. S. Alliance. 
Governor's retainers in background. 

Dancing, singing and music girls seated. 



Koreans and our house was surrounded by crowds a great deal of 
the time, who examined our dress, the stuff of which it was made, 
the buttons, &c. Our boats at the landing were crowded every 
day with sightseers. The people were not obstrusive in the least 
and were very nice about the manner of satisfying their curiosity. 
"Beef," the ship dog (a black wooly spaniel), was as great a curi- 
osity as any other object, and his tricks were a never failing 
source of amusement. He gave a performance at the pavilion 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 107 




PING-YANG CITY— N. W. Part of Korea 

View during entertainment at picnic, taken from raised platform where 
we sat. Dancing girls in foreground. Musicians seated. Governor's 
guard, retainers, and crowd in rear. Floor covered with mats. 

on the platform before the Governor. Mr. Marsh's camera also 
was a great object of interest and the pictures shown on the 
little ground glass peek hole interested thousands, who would 
look in, see something they recognized then look up at it with 
greatest wonder. 

Marsh, who by the way, is an old "Paterson" shipmate in 
Alaska, got some photographs, which if good I will send to you. 
The Koreans dress almost without exception in white, only those 
of rank wearing any other color. The dress consists of loose 
baggy trousers banded tight about the lower leg and ankle, 
sandals of straw or cloth over white stockings, a short jacket, 
over which is a loose robe overlapping in front and split up above 



108 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

the waist in the back, large, loose flowing sleeves of red, blue or 
other colored silk for the officials and nobility, and white for ordi- 
nary people. The sleeves of this robe are often of a different 
color from the robe itself. Over this is worn a horse hair robe, 
split at the sides from just below the arm, bound about the 
waist by a cord. This is so thin and open woven that the under 
robe is plainly seen. On the head a horse hair hat shaped like 
this woven fine and open. Married men wear a top knot which 
fits into the inner crown. The unmarried men wear the hair 
loose and cannot wear the top knot until they take a wife. 
None wear the pig tail as do the Chinese. The city itself and its 
people and customs make me think they are much what Europe 
was some five or six hundred years ago. The use of silver or gold 
coin is almost unknown, the currency being "Cash," a brass 
piece with a square hole in the center, worth about one-fifth of 
our cent, carried on long strings. The language of Korea is not 
like Japanese or Chinese though similar. The written language 
is alphabetical, being different from Chinese in that respect. 
Mr. Heard gave the Governor his pair of opera glasses, to which 
he had taken a great fancy, and I gave him a little Berkshire 
Compass with a picture of the First Church on the corner. 
From what I saw of this province of Korea (Ping- Yang), I am 
satisfied it is a rich one and I am sure our Minister will try and 
get it opened to the outer world. It had large agricultural re- 
sources to say nothing of the favorable signs of coal. 

The city of Ping- Yang is seventy-five miles up the river 
from the sea and deep draft vessels can come within thirteen 
miles of it. 

I expect to see a large commerce from this river. 

We left Mr. Heard at Chemulpo, then came to Nagaski, 
Japan, for coal and so on to Yokohama where we hope to remain 
some time. 



A Japanese Dinner. 

U. S. S. Alliance, 

Nagasaki, Japan. 
July 10th, 1892. 

We are still here, as you see, and are likely to remain some 
weeks yet, for there has been a survey on the "Palos," of which I 
was a member, as to advisability of repairing or selling her, and 
there are also to be some Courts Martial. There are now in 
harbor of our fleet the flagship "Lancaster," the "Marion," "iVl- 
liance," "Alert" and "Palos" and to form the Court, two senior 
oflicers were ordered to come out from the United States. The 
other members of the Court, not less than seven or more than 
thirteen, will be from those now in the fleet. The Court meets 
Monday morning and may last ten days or two weeks and then I 
think it likely the ships will scatter; where of course we don't 
know, but hope to Kobe and Yokohama until we start home, 
probably by October. The Fourth passed off finely. We had 
boat, tub, swimming and running races, a dance on the flagship 
and all the men of war in harbor (fourteen in all) were decorated 
with flags during the day and lanterns by night, making a fine 
show. There were also a great many salutes. 

Since my last, in which I gave an account of the trip to Oba- 
ma, I have been to a large dinner party in strictly Japanese style, 
arranged by one of the officers. There were sixteen in the party 
of officers and their families who are with them out here. From 
the hotel, we all went in rickashas, forming a long line in the 
streets, that made everybody turn to look at us until we reached 
a Japanese tea house, from whose balcony off the dining room, 
we had a magnificent view of the whole length of Nagasaki har- 
bor. Arrived at the door, we all removed our shoes as the 
Japanese do. (A Jap would no more think of walking on the 
clean floors and mats with his outdoor shoes, than you would on 
top of your piano or satin covered chairs or sofas. There is no 
matter of religion or superstition in it at all; it is simply cleanli- 
ness). Then we went up to the dining room in the second story, 



110 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

a room eleven mats long by three mats wide or thirty-three feet 
by eighteen feet (mats are always 6x3. xA.Il rooms in Jap houses 
are multiples of this, so carpets always fit no matter where you 
buy them). Around three sides of the room was spread on the 
clean mats, a bright, clean, narrow red blanket, and on these 
round, thin leather cushions. Soon after our arrival, candles, 
each on its own pedestal about three feet high, were brought in, 
some twenty in all, and bright colored paper lanterns were hung 
up along the balcony and in door ways, giving a soft, pleasant 
and at the same time, sufficient light. After all were seated 
cross-legged on the cushions, all the waiter girls (nesans) and 
the singers (geisha) and dancers (maiko) came in, presented 
themselves and made their salute, after which the geisha and 
maiko girls, eight in all, took the end of the room reserved for 
them and commenced entertaining with music and singing while 
the nesans or waitresses (you never see a waiter in a tea house) 
brought in the first course, of sweets, candies and confections 
made to resemble flowers and other fancy shapes served in a 
simple but exquisite wooden tray. (Serving sweets first instead 
of last, is another example of Japanese direct oppositeness to our 
customs). After the sweets came soup; then a succession of 
courses, over twenty in all, taking over two hours to eat them. 
Fish was the only meat served and we had that in many different 
styles; also eels and rice, scrimps, lobsters and vegetables. I 
can't remember all the courses or the order, but before each 
guest was placed a lacquered tray some fifteen inches square, 
standing on legs some ten inches high, and the different courses 
were served in lacquer bowls or saucers, all of exquisite shape and 
finish, though some courses were served in porcelain, to add color 
to the collection of dishes that gathered around one, for few were 
removed until dinner was eaten. 

The leading courses, for instance the fish, (boiled) a large 
one (ten pounds at least) laid on a large lacquer tray, was brought 
by the nesans, all in procession, placed in the center of the room 
on a raised stand, for all to admire its fine form and garnishing of 
green things and ornaments, after which it was served to the 
guests. Other courses had a similar ceremony. Confections 
made to imitate the petals of flowers, were placed on a large tray, 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 111 

from whose center arose a real branch of evergreen (cryptomeria) 
in whose branches were storks and cranes made of three or four 
pieces of cuttlefish bone, all very lifelike. Many of the courses 
were very palatable, but others we did not find to our taste. 
Those that did made a hearty meal. For drink we had sake, a 
rice wine tasting somewhat like our sherry and about as strong. 
This we drank warm. We all used chop-sticks and they were 
the source of lots of fun to all the guests and their hosts. Dur- 
ing the serving of the courses, the geishas sang and played and 
the maikos danced for our entertainment and between would 
often come and sit among the guests and help to entertain them. 
Custom and politeness requires that they offer portions of the 
food or a cup of sake. The whole manner of the service was po- 
lite and refined and in such marked contrast to our own customs, 
that it made the evening one long to be remembered. 

The dress of the girls was in true native style, gay with color, 
but never obtrusive. It is beyond my power to describe them 
and you will have to see pictures to get an idea of them. The 
music was a Goto, a kind of harp laid on the floor, which at times 
gave out very sweet sounds and music as we understand it; 
then samisens or three stringed guitars. Sometimes the girls 
would play a kind of tambourine as accompaniment. The sing- 
ing is droll, rather monotonous and not always pleasing to our 
ears. The Japanese girls have really good musical taste when 
trained according to our ideas, as you will see by the enclosed 
programme of the closing exercises of the young ladies' school 
here, under charge of American Methodists. I was not able to 
go, being on those days busy with the survey on Palos, but those 
who did were simply astonished to hear these girls often speak 
in English, and read English essays. (Those whose titles are in 
English). The whole exhibition by these girls, who have learned 
it all here, was simply marvelous and would have compared 
favorably with any school in the United States. To hear those 
girls, whose parents we have always called "heathen barbarians," 
get up and do problems in algebra and even higher mathematics, 
and tell of astronomical, botanical, geological and many other 
things fully as well as any girls in any of our home high schools, 
was certainly a revelation to me and all of us. 



m JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

In many ways, I think the Japanese are the most wonderful 
people on the face of the earth, when you but just glance into 
the history of their growth in the last twenty-five years. The 
more I see of them, the more I see to admire. I am sorry I have 
not the opportunity to see a good many things as I cannot get 
leave from my duties. 

I wish you would keep all the photographs I have sent you. 
I have left a space for them in an album I have made up so as 
not to have duplicates. If in good shape, I can have them put 
in when I get home. 

I should have said all the girls at the school belong to the 
upper classes, some to the no})ility. All accept Christian in- 
struction and some are members of the Methodist Church. A 
good many of the girls educated in the schools become teachers 
in various parts of the Empire. English is the language that is 
most studied and the strongest desired to learn. The school is 
not free; tuition, &c., is charged. 

Since the 1st of July, the weather has become hot, but has 
not yet become oppressive like it was at Shanghai last summer. 
We have had much less rain than usual. I will be very glad 
when September comes to bring cooler days and nights, but we 
cannot complain very much as yet. 



The Samoan Islands. 

U. S. S. x\lliance, 

Pango Bango, Samoan Islands. 
' January 22nd, 1893. 

A month since my last has nearly passed and I start another 
letter to catch the next mail to the United States, which leaves 
Apia about February 3rd. We have been here now long enough 
to have learned something about the Islands and the people, so I 
will try and write a letter about them. 

The Samoan Group lies in 12° — 13' South Latitude and 
about 176° West Longitude. There are four main islands that 
extend in a nearly east and west direction for some two hundred 
miles, whose names, beginning at the eastern end, are Manua, 
Tutuila, Upolu and Sawaii, which is also the order of their size — 
Manua the smallest, Sawaii the largest. Apia, the capital and 
principal town, where foreigners live, is on Upolu, while Pago 
Pago (g has the sound of ng) on Tutuila is the only real harbor 
in the whole group. It is a small, completely land-locked one 
and safe at all winds. 

Tutuila is about seventeen miles long and from two to five 
wide. Pago Pago harbor is about one and one-half miles long 
and one-fourth mile wide at the anchorage. Pago Pago is sur- 
rounded by high hills rising to thirty-two hundred feet, whose 
sides are the steepest I think I ever saw; all volcanic and densely 
wooded. There are several villages of natives scattered along 
the shores of the bay. Here is soon to be built an iron dock and 
sheds for handling coal. The inhabitants of all the islands 
number some forty thousand, are all nominally converted to 
Christianity and every village has churches and schools. The 
majority can read and write (they have books in their own lan- 
guage), they observe the outward forms of the church very close- 
ly, but how far beyond this in a majortiy of cases, it would be 
hard for us to say, for we see on every hand that the natives still 
cling to old ways in many things, having been in contact less with 
the foreigners than at Apia. In looks, they are a fine people, 



114 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 



good looking, many of them with regular features often very at- 
tractive, the young girls especially being fine looking and hand- 
some. The dress many wear is the original one of a short skirt 
of leaves or Lava-Lava hanging from the waist to the knees, or a 
piece of topa (native) cloth takes its place. The men rarely 
wear anything else than this waist cloth, called a "lava-lava." 
The women and girls sometimes do, and often don't, being en- 
tirely naked save for it; also go bare-footed. You will see them 
one time with only a lava-lava, again with a cloth (our ship's red 
cotton handkerchiefs are favorities for this), two corners tied 
around the neck and the rest hanging loose over the bust, some- 
times a string of wild flowers, leaves or red and green berries form 
the upper garment: then an hour afterwards, you will see the 
same girls wearing a jacket made generally of foreign cloth, a 
patch-work one of bright colors being a favorite. The pictures 
I sent will give you a good idea of the original dress. You will 
see similar ones in Cook's Atlas and plates of his voyages. 

The natives are a jolly, good natured set, full of fun and 
frolic, always laughing and singing; are excellent swimmers, men, 
boys, girls and all. We frequently see them playing in the water 
about the ship like a lot of fishes. The Islands were given the 
name "Navigator's Islands" by their French discoverer, on ac- 
count of the skill shown in the handling of canoes and in swim- 
ming. The islands do not afford the tree trunks of a kind to 
make the large canoes such as I have seen on the Northwest coast 
of America (Alaska), nor do they spread open the logs after being 
hollowed out, as do the Alaskan Indians. The result is a long, 
narrow dug-out, with no stability, to get which, at a distance of 
three to four feet, they fasten by lashing a long pole or small log 
of a very light wood, but even then, it requires great expertness to 
handle one in even a small lea way, as many of our people have 
found out, and we have had lots of fun over the mishaps along- 
side the ship. In these canoes, the natives go to sea, catch fish 
and sharks and are perfectly at home. A favorite amusement of 
the young boys and girls is to race them and upset one another, 
If a canoe upsets and gets full of water, it is a matter of great 
laughter. To empty it, they don't take it ashore, but one person, 
swimming alongside, will, by taking hold of one end and pushing 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 115 

quickly back and forth, make a lot of water jump over each end 
at each jerk or push, and soon enough is out to hold a person 
while the rest is baled out. It is an easy matter for them to get 
into a canoe from the water, but took some time for our people 
to learn how. 

The houses the people live in are generally eliptical in shape, 
sometimes twenty-five to thirty feet long and fifteen to twenty 
feet broad. A row of stakes about four feet apart are set up 
around a level and raised platform made of stones at the edge 
and fine gravel between. These posts are four to six feet high 
and have connecting pieces at the top to join them. Others, but 
much larger ones, are set up inside the elipse to hold the ridge 
of the roof, then a few heavier pieces are bent to bind the ridge 
pole and side posts together. This all forms a solid frame work, 
on which are placed lighter poles, to which are lashed platted 
leaves of cocoanut to form the roof. Not a nail is used in the 
whole structure, but all are lashed together with strings made 
from cocoanut fibre. Many of the houses show fine workman- 
ship and the view of the roof inside is a very attractive one. One 
of the pictures I sent shows the house and manner of building it. 
Curtains of platted mats are fitted to close the sides, being drop- 
ped when wanted to keep out the rain, sun or wind. The houses 
are always placed in the shade of cocoanut, bread fruit or other 
trees, and are not only attractive in appearance, but exceedingly 
well adapted to the wants of the people in such a climate as this. 
On the gravel floor are spread mats on which the people sit, and 
at night sleep. Curtains of topa cloth or mats are dropped to 
divide the house into rooms when wanted, while on a framework 
overhead are kept boxes, containing household effects, clothes, 
&c. All the houses are kept clean, all refuse of every kind being 
carried away from the house and village so as not to produce 
annoyance. The raised platform on which the houses are built 
is generally some six to eight inches above the general level (this 
gives a dry floor during rainy weather), and for a distance of three 
to four feet surrounding, is another gravel-paved walk. Some- 
times the cooking is done at a small hearth at one side of the 
house, but generally on a fire outside or in a small house that 
several families use in common. The food is generally vege- 



116 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

tables, cocoanuts, bananas, breadfruit and taro, a root like a yam. 
Fish they get from the sea and some wild birds, pigeons, &c., and 
since the white men came, pigs are common, but the main re- 
liance is vegetable food. A small amount of work keeps up the 
supply and marketing is simply going out and plucking the trees. 
One cannot blame these people for not working. Why should 
they, when every wind that blows drops the food on the front 
doorstep 't 

They are very fond of music and really sing finely. Their 
songs have a great deal of melody about them and are pleasing to 
hear. Writers say they are the finest musicians of any primitive 
people known. It is a very pleasant thing to hear a lot of them 
on the water, all singing as they paddle along, touching lightly 
the canoes with the paddles to mark the time, the light tap filling 
up like our bull fiddle. 

New Year's day we had calls from several large parties and 
seated on the deck, crosslegged, were some thirty young girls all 
dressed in lava-lavas made of leaves, wreathes of flowers on their 
heads and about their necks. Seated thus, they looked very 
pretty and picturesque as they sang for us, keeping time by clap- 
ping hands together or on the deck. We also had dances by 
them, all in the original native style. These lasted for over two 
hours and we all contributed something to a common fund for 
them. 

Everybody, young and old, men, women, children, boys and 
girls smoke. Their ideas of trade here are very funny. Each 
girl or woman takes one of us for a "fiend" (friend), and when se- 
lected, you are expected to do all your trading with her alone. 
When we first arrived, they hovered about the ship all day, but 
now we allow them on board twice a day, during meal hours 12 
to 1, 4.30 to 5.30. The articles they bring are fruit, clubs, topa 
cloth, shells, &c. The girl that waits on ine is named Pilinicia. 
about fifteen years old, handsome and with a superb form. She 
comes to my air port, and if I happen to be in my room, says 
"Kaloja," or "how do you do," "yo^i ^^^y fiend," passes in some 
bananas, pineapples, cocoanuts and offers spears, shells, &c. 
Then I give her, if I want them, always a "smoke," i. e., a cigar- 
ette, a cigar, or some tobacco loose, a "candelo," or candle, or 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 117 

"soapo," a small piece of soap, a "nila," needle, "fila," thread, or 
some other thing. Old clothes are choice tit bits for them. 
Money they know little about and many won't take it. Any- 
thing else than silver half dollars and quarter dollars and English 
shillings are no good. I couldn't get one to take two ten cent 
pieces and a five cent piece for a quarter. One good thing about 
them is that they will always divide anything they have; for 
instance, if one is smoking and another comes along and wants a 
puff on a sign, the "smoko" will be passed along. The same with 
food, and it is said that whenever one goes over the group, you 
are always sure of plenty to eat, a kind welcome and a good place 
to sleep. Theire seems to be a community ownership of every- 
thing, and all have a common right to a part of it. When we go 
to the villages, we see faces of people, say in one house one time, 
in another at the next one; each house all claim as "my house." 
They strictly observe Sunday and do not come to the ship and 
every village is as quiet as was Coila under Dr. BulHona. I am 
told they all believe that if they don't go to church Sunday, dire 
things will happen. How much beyond these outward signs 
religion has taken root, I have no means of knowing. The 
French Catholics have many missions in the group, as also have 
the English dissenter body and the Mormons of Utah (non-poly- 
gamous) also have some twenty missionaries in the group. 

Altogether they are a very interesting people, as we have 
found from even our superficial contact with them. 

Our last mail, received December 24th, brought no word 
about our movements or relief. We expect something definite 
by the mail due now. I wrote you about our narrow escape from 
losing the ship on the 28th of December. We returned here on 
the 29th of December and have remained at anchor ever since. 
The weather has been passable all the time as to temperature, for 
we have not suffered at all with the heat, but have had a good 
deal of rain, this being the rainy season. We have had some rain 
on nearly every day during the last month, but it never lasts 
long at a time, and often the intervals between have been fine 
and clear. We are all glad to find the climate better and cooler 
than we expected. 



Nicaragua. 

U. S. Legation, 

Managua, Nicaragua, 
June 5, 1893. 

My last was a short note from Acapulco, Mexico, announcing 
our arrival at that port on our way to Corinto, Nicaragua. We 
left Acapulco on Saturday the 27th, and arrived off Corinto on 
the evening of the 31st, but did not get into the harbor until the 
next morning. Corinto is a good land-locked harbor formed by 
islands at the mouth of a river and lagoon entrance. It is a good 
port, from which a railroad runs by way of Leon to the north end 
of Lake Managua (fifty eight miles), connecting there with lake 
steamers to this place (thirty-two miles), the capital of the Re- 
public near the south end of the lake. 

As you will no doubt see by the papers, the revolution is 
about over, the contending parties having agreed under the ad- 
vice of our Minister here to terms of peace, and to the foundation 
of a provisional government until an election can be held, some 
five months from now. Our minister, Mr Lewis Baker of West 
Virginia, and lately of Minneapolis, Minnesota, invited the Cap- 
tain and as many of his officers as could come, to pay him a visit. 
So yesterday, we (the Captain, seven officers and three sailor 
men) left Corinto by railroad at 1.20 p. m. and arrived here at 10 
p. m., the whole distance being ninety miles; not a very rapid 
rate, but a comfortable way to travel. Corinto is at sea level, 
and this place about one hundred and sixty feet above sea, on 
Lake Managua. If you will look at the map, you will see two 
large lakes about the center of the country, Nicaragua and Man- 
agua. The ship canal is to pass through and use Lake Nicaragua 
for the summit level, its Atlantic port being Greytown, at the 
mouth of the San Juan river and its Pacific port, Brito, just north 
of San Juan del Sur, and about one hundred miles south of Corin- 
to. Lake Managua is some fifty feet above Nicaragua and flows 
into it, but the river has rapids that prevent navigation. All 
the engines and cars of the railroad are American style and build, 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 119 

and are comfortable. The country is a gently rising plain from a 
few miles back from the coast, and has a rich soil capable of rais- 
ing immense crops, but little of it is in use; much of it is timber 
with luxuriant vegetation and immense trees. It would be fine 
sugar land that only needs work and enterprise to develop it into 
magnificent plantations. The climate of this upland table-land 
is much cooler than on the coast, and it is also healthy. The 
building of the canal will induce a great development of the 
thousands of available acres now lying idle. The train averaged 
but ten miles an hour, including stops. The runs between stops 
are fast enough, but the stops are often and long. After we had 
gone some twenty miles from Corinto, we met a special train 
with the United States flag on the engine, bringing a committee of 
residents to meet us and escort us to the capital. The committee 
consisted of the United States Consul, the Surgeon in Chief of the 
Canal Company (both Americans), the Italian and Spanish Con- 
suls, the General Superintendent of the Railroad, the Captain of 
the lake steamer (an American), and Mr. May the leading banker 
of the town, an Engl'shman. 

We arrived at the head of Lake Managua about sunset, fifty- 
eight miles from Corinto, and went aboard a comfortable steamer 
where a good dinner was served to us. We could see but little 
of the lake, as it soon became dark, but what we did see showed 
the lake and the villages about it to be very interesting and fine. 
There were a number of volcanic dome peaks in sight, all smok- 
ing and presenting a picturesque landscape. We arrived at 
Managua at 10 p. m., where carriages took us up to the United 
States Legation, where Mr. Baker the LTnited States Minister, 
with his tw^o daughters and a number of foreign residents were as- 
sembled to receive us. We sat around for an hour or so and then 
were shown our rooms, for Mr. Baker insisted that we should stay 
at his house, himself and family and all of us going to the hotel 
two blocks away for our meals. This morning, we have not done 
much but walk about and take it easy. The middle of the day 
being warm, about 4 o'clock we are to go out to be shown some of 
the sights and to see the troops enter the city, as the revolution is 
over. Our Minister, Mr. Baker, has been here but a short time, 
being appointed by President Cleveland. Mr. Baker is a very 



120 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

popular man, and seems to have acted with discretion and 
promptness in the troubles. Tomorrow we are to make some 
official visits, and have our full dress with us for that purpose. 
When we will return to the ship, we do not know, but in a few 
days. As to our stay in Corinto, we know nothing, but as the 
telegraph and mail lines are now open, having been interrupted 
by the war, we may get orders ere long. I hope we will not have 
to stay very long in Corinto, for it is simply a small town made 
by the railroad at the Seaport, and the weather is very hot and 
we have had much rain there. 

Monday morning — Nearly all the party have gone out for 
a horse back ride with the ladies. To-day we are to pay some 
official visits. In the evening we dine with the President and his 
cabinet. Tomorrow we take railroad train and go to Grenado on 
Lake Nicaragua, returning in the afternoon Wednesday, when 
we return to the ship. 

U. S. S. Alliance, 
Panama, June 13th, 1893. 
My last was from the United States Legation at Managua, 
the capital of Nicaragua, since which we have under telegraphic 
orders moved to this place on our way to Callao, Peru. I will go 
back to the point where I left off at Managua. The revolution 
had been settled, owing to the efforts of the LTnited States Minis- 
ter, and a provisional government had been formed and all that 
remained to make peace was for the revolutionary army, which 
had won the contest, to take possession of the capital. This they 
did on Tuesday, June 6th, when they made an entry into the 
city in a long procession. While passing the mounted police 
station, they were fired on by the police and returned the fire. 
Nine people, soldiers and police were killed, and many other 
people, some women and children, were wounded. I had been 
down to see the troops enter and was about a block away from 
the row. I saw some of the shooting and was in the crowd. As 
soon as I could, I returned to the Legation. That night there 
was an earthquake; also a bad railroad accident near the city, 
by which seven women and children were killed and many wound- 
ed. The rumpus and the railroad accident broke up our in- 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 121 

tended trip to Granada and Lake Nicaragua, so we concluded 
to return to the ship on the 7th, which we did. The whole coun- 
try was much excited over the troubles and we did not get 
through without some difficulty about getting the boat on Lake 
Managua and a train to Corinto. However, all was finally over- 
come and we reached the ship at 7 p. m., having had an interest- 
ing trip, but on the whole, not a very pleasant one. Still I am 
glad I have seen something of the country through which the 
great canal is to be built. I have always taken a great deal of 
interest in the canal and hope to see it finished soon. 

On the evening of the 8th, a telegram from Washington was 
received on board ship, ordering us to Peru. We left for Callao 
on the morning of the 10th and arrived here at Panama this 
afternoon, having stopped for coal and supplies. We will stay 
but a short time and expect to leave for Callao on Thursday, the 
15th. I believe there is a revolution in Peru or a chance for one. 
If so, it will be the fourth one we have chased since September 
last — Honolulu, Samoa, Nicaragua and now Peru. There is 
one advantage; we will be in a good climate in Callao and we 
are all very glad of the prospect of getting out of the great heat 
and rains of Central America and the isthmus of Panama. Be- 
sides we will be so much of our journey towards New York. I 
think it probable, we will remain in Peru until some of the ships 
come out from the east coast, and that then we will commence 
our journey around. I am very well, but will be glad to get out 
of the very hot weather and rains we have had. 



A Visit to Kilauea. 

U. S. S. Alliance, 
Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands. 
March 14th, 1893. 
On our return from Hilo the morning the mail steamer left, 
I did not have time to give you any account of our visit to the 
volcano of Kilauea, so I will now give you some account of our 
trip and what we saw. The map I send will give you an idea of 
the location of the mountains Mauna Kea, the highest point of 
Hawaii, a snow-tipped extinct volcano; of Mauna Loa, an ac- 
tive volcano at intervals, on whose slope is situated the crater of 
Kilauea, the largest active crater in the world. On one side 
of the enclosed sheet is an outline sketch of the mountains as 
they appear when viewed from the ship's anchorage in Hilo Bay. 
You will notice that none of the mountains are cones, as all vol- 
canoes so often seen, as in Vesuvius and Fuji Yama in Japan. 
They are great masses and do not give any adequate idea of their 
height. Kilauea is only four thousand and forty feet above sea 
level on the gently sloping side of Mauna Loa. To reach it from 
Hilo, we go eighteen miles, through beautiful forests most of the 
way, by carriage over a fine macadamized road that will be finish- 
ed all the way (thirty-one miles) in another year. From that 
eighteen mile point, we all had to go on horse back for thirteen 
miles over a rather rough trail. As I have not been in a saddle 
since 1887, I found the ride rather trying, but stood it well. We 
left Hilo at 7.30 a. m. and reached the hotel at the crater, "The 
Volcano House," at 4 p. m. We had a short rest, a good lunch 
and then went down into the crater pit to see as much as we could 
by daylight. If you will look at the sheet enclosed, you will see 
that the Volcano House is situated right at the edge of the great 
pit three miles long by two wide and five hundred feet deep. 
There is no cone about this crater pit, for the general surface 
of the ground for miles around is like a gently sloping plain from 
which has dropped this great area of six square miles, whose floor 
five hundred feet down is all black lava with not a green thing 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 123 

to be seen. From the Volcano House a good trail leads down 
the cliflP, where horses ridden by people can descend with safety 
to the lava floor, and so across the black lava field by the trail 
to the edge of the little pit, which pit contains the active lava 
lake. The little pit is some two thousand feet in diameter and is 
nearly circular. In its center two hundred feet down, is a rim 
of black lava cokes some fifty feet high, piled up in a circular 
ring for all the world as if it had been prepared for an immense 
circus show. Within this rim, twelve hundred feet diameter, is a 
lake of molten moving lava, the largest in all the world. All our 
party walked down the cliff road and over the lava field, a dis- 
tance of two miles in a straight line, but three by the windings of 
the trail. The level of the lava lake varies from time to time, 
sometimes filling the little pit so that the molten lava overflows 
into the great pit, as the slope in the cross section shows has been 
the case. A few years ago it sank eight hundred feet below its 
present level. It is now filling up again. 

After standing at the ledge and viewing the floor of the little 
pit with the lava lake for some time, we descended by a pretty 
steep trail to the floor, and walked over hot lava to the rim of the 
lake and stood watching the molten flowing mass surge and boil 
right up to our feet; in fact, we had to jump several times to 
prevent the liquid waves of red hot lava from washing over our 
feet. Sea waves when they dash at you are apt to make one 
step quickly, but when the waves are of molten lava, you run 
from the impending danger and intense heat. After collecting 
some specimens of the molten lava to bring away after coolings 
and having had a good near view of the lake of fire we came out 
of the little pit and ascended to the shed at the edge about dark, 
and remained there some two hours, so as to have a good view 
after dark, which was simply grand and almost indescribable. 

The lake of fire, twelve hundred feet diameter, after dark ap- 
peared in many places dark, where a crust had cooled, through 
which wide streaks of bright red fire showed. These constantly 
changed, opening out in places, running together often, closing 
again to open and connect in other places. At one side was a 
great mass in active boiling, constantly throwing up great masses 
to one hundred feet or more, showing the most vivid shades of 



124 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

red I have ever seen; in fact I have never seen such brilhant 
pecuhar, colors before. Then again a great mass of the black 
crust in another part of the lake would be heaved up from fifty 
to one hundred feet, and we would see a boiling fire fountain 
bubble that would last for a minute or two; sometimes eight or 
ten of them in different parts of the lake were visible at once and 
we could hear the grinding and crunching of the cooled black lava 
cokes as they tumbled over each other, and were carried by the 
weaves of the molten fluid. It was a grand, fascinating sight, of 
which I have read accounts simply descriptive, again by those 
who go ofl^ in raphsodies, but none have given me the impression 
of the reality, as I saw it myself. The fire fountains of which I 
have spoken are one of the peculiarities of Kilauea. They are 
never long the same, for every few months bring changes, as 
might be expected where there is so much activity. I was loathe 
to leave the grand sight, but we did at last and found our way 
back to the hotel through a light rain that met us outside. After 
a change of clothing, we sat down in front of a wood fire for a 
while. 

On the coast the climate is tropical, but up at the Volcano 
House, a fire is needed every night of the year. We ate a hearty 
dinner and had a good smoke and a hot bath from a natural sul- 
phur stream that oozes out of cracks and crevises on the bank 
near the hotel, and in fact in thousands of places about and in 
the crater. This stream bath followed by a hot and cold shower, 
made me forget all the fatigue of the long day's exertions and 
produced a calming effect after I got into bed that induced most 
delicious slumber. The bath and eft'ect were alone worth the 
trip, for the enjoyment they gave. The next morning we were 
up early and at 8.30 started back, riding thirteen miles on 
mules over the trail, then meeting the carriages. Arrived at the 
ship at 6 p. m. The ship got under way at .once and ran all 
night and at eight the next morning stopped off Lanai one of the 
islands of Maui. This island contains the crater of an extinct 
volcano nine miles in diameter, ten thousand feet above sea level. 
It is the largest extinct crater in the world. All these islands have 
at some time been the scene of immense volcanic activity, of 
which the only remnant now is an occasional eruption of Mauna 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 125 

Loa and the ever active Kilauea. These, grand as they are, are 
but insignificant to what they once were. In 1880, Mauna Loa 
sent out a lava stream that stopped but a mile from Hilo village, 
which all feared was doomed to destruction. 

That night we again got under way and arrived at Hono- 
lulu the next morning and took our old berth in the harbor. We 
found all quiet at both of the ports- where we stopped and all 
waiting to hear what the United States is going to do about an 
annexation treaty. 



Ladrone Islands. 

U. S. S. Monterey, 

Guaim, Ladrone Islands. 
July 23, 1898. 

We arrived here this morning after a pleasant weather trip 
from Honolulu which place we left on the night of the 1st of July. 

The trip over was largely in tow of the "Brutus", our Collier 
Consort, and but for the heat we have been fairly comfortable, 
though the days were monotonous and dragged heavily. I have 
never made a trip at sea with so little enjoyment as this one from 
Honolulu here, but I am not going to write a complaining letter 
and so will drop all such things. 

We made this island at day-light and stood on to the only 
port or anchorage in the coral reef called San Louis D'Apra 
about four miles from Agaua. Arriving off the port we sent 
in two boats to make the entrance through the coral reef, 
also to hold some communication with the Spanish authorities. 
Several boats came out, one flying the American flag to meet 
them and by and by they all came off to the ship, when we 
found several people who spoke English well and among them an 
American who lives here. From them we learned that the U. 
S. S. "Charlestown" and the first Manila Expedition had been 
here in June and taken all the Civil and Military authorities and 
the garrison of some sixty soldiers prisoners and carried them off 
to Manila. The authorities came on board the "Charlestown" 
and were greatly surprised when they heard of the war between 
Spain and the United States, of which they knew nothing, and 
that they were to be kept on board as prisoners of war. So this 
place is now United States territory, but as yet there is no garri- 
son to hold it. We have had a plentiful supply of fruit and fish 
and will get beef, also vegetables, to-morrow. We are now busy 
coaling ship and will leave in a few days. The island is about 
twenty-seven miles long and has about seven thousand inhabi- 
tants. We are told it contains a large amount of very fertile 
land on which sugar cane grows, also tobacco, rice and cocoa, 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 127 

but the Spanish have never encouraged any proper development, 
so but a small part is under cultivation. The island has a back- 
bone of rolling hills densely wooded and presents a very pictur- 
esque appearance. Some of our officers have been ashore and 
up to the town of Agaua which they found a well laid out, clean 
place of some four thousand people with churches, and school 
houses, that presented a thrifty, pleasing appearance. The 
streets were wide, clean and well kept and the people seemed 
contented and happy. The harbor has been the resort in days 
gone by of American Whalers and a number of them have resided 
here for some time, and natives have been to the United States 
to be educated, for instance the Pilot or Harbor Master lived in 
New Bedford for fourteen years and went to school there. The 
people came off to the ship in quite large numbers, among them 
several children of the Military Governor, who was taken to Ma- 
nila as a prisoner of war. The people did not seem to think any 
the worse of us but in every way treated us nicely and a good 
many openly said they hoped the United States would keep the 
islands. Should we keep Manila, Guam will be of good use to 
us as a coaling port and we will make much of it. 

Monday, July loth. 

Having finished our coaling we left port this afternoon at 3.30 
and having steamed outside the harbor went in tow of the "Bru- 
tus" again for a few days. 

August 'ind. 

We made land yesterday afternoon, being the island of Sa- 
mar, and at day-light entered the straits of San Bernardino which 
divides the island of Luzon from the other islands. We ran all 
day among the islands and beautiful tropical scenery, passing out 
of the straits on the afternoon of the 3rd, about sixty miles south 
of Manila bay for which place we ran until we made the entrance 
to Manila Bay off which we stood on and off all night. 

Aug. Mh. 

At daylight stood up the bay of Manila and arrived at Cavite 
amid the fleet at 10 a. m. We were loudly cheered by them all 



128 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

as we passed to an anchorage under Cavite point. We were soon 
boarded by officers from the ships and learned of the capture of 
Ceveras' fleet. 

Admiral Dewey and the fleet were very glad to see us arrive 
on account of certain complications that have taken place. We 
are anchored near several of the sunken Spanish "men of war," 
and the harbor has a large number of ships in it, almost all with 
the United States flag flying. The foreign "men of war" are all 
at Manila City some miles up the bay. 

Last night as we sat on deck we saw the flash of guns on 
shore where the United States troops are in camp about half way 
to Manila. There are now about ten thousand LTnited States 
troops here and a good fleet and the impression seems to be that 
active operations will begin soon to take the city of Manila. 
There are also complications about the insurgents and some of the 
foreign powers have shown a disposition to be ugly, but we are 
the strongest vessel of all (there are twelve foreign "men of war" 
at anchor off the City) and the fleet have given us the name of the 
"balance of Power." Another Monitor very like ours, the "Mon- 
adnock", is due now most any day and then I don't think any- 
body will be saucy to us any more. I have seen so little as yet 
to write about, and it is so uncomfortably hot everywhere except 
on deck in the breeze, that the mood to write does not come 
over one to any great extent. Everything on board ship is 
carried out on a war basis. All the loose stuff, mess gear, lockers, 
bulkheads, etc., above the armored deck, the boats, etc., have 
been taken down and sent ashore to save them as well as to have 
them out of the way of making splinters when struck. At night 
all lights above deck are out, armed sentrys are on duty and the 
secondary battery crews sleep at their guns with ammunition 
ready. We are allowed to have lights in our rooms because they 
do not show out. It all seems so strange to have a "man of war" 
in such shape, so different from the usual thing. We are all 
quite well after our long trip and have stood the heat very well, 
there being no serious sickness as yet. We have lost a good deal 
in weight, I particularly, and you would not know me for none of 
my clothes fit me. The heat is very trying, for everything you 
do throws one into a perspiration at once, and the nights also are 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 129 

hot in our rooms. My electric fan has been my salvation, other- 
wise I would not have slept. The worst weather is now over, so 
all say, and we look for better ahead. I do not complain but will 
be glad to get home again and get some cool air and cooler water. 
We get fresh beef, mutton and vegetables three times a week from 
a refrigerator Steamer sent by the United States Government 
from Australia. A market has beeh set up on shore where 
chickens, eggs, milk, fruit and some vegetables can be had in limit- 
ed quantities. We can also have our laundry done. I have not 
yet been able to find out any definite idea of what is being done 
ashore by the troops, but active operations are going on and no 
doubt something definite will take place soon. 

It has been very bad weather ever since we came, blowing 
hard most of the time, and frequent rain squalls. We hope to 
coal ship very soon and will then be ready for our part in anything 
that may come up. As I wrote you a seven thousand mile trip 
on a monitor in the tropics is not a picnic, but we are pleased to 
be able to do our duty and get here in time to be of use. 

Evening of Aug. Qth. 

I have just come from deck where I have been watching all 
the ships with their electric search lights in answer to a signal, 
on the enemies camp some five miles up the beach, at the same 
spot where we saw firing last night. It is all so strange and 
different from the man of war routine. We hear several of our 
troops were killed in last night's melee. 

General Merritt and Admiral Dewey have, I hear, come to 
some plan of action for the near future. We are to coal ship to- 
morrow, going alongside one of the hulks for that purpose, at 
daylight tomorrow morning. 

U. S. S. Monterey, 

Off Manila, Philippine Islands. 

August 15, 1898. 

We remained at anchor in Cavite after our arrival on the 

4th, until Saturday the 13th, while negotiations were being made 

between the Admiral and the Spanish Governor General of the 

City and isla,nds. On the 13th, the whole fleet moved from Ca- 



130 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

vite to position off the City and there was some firing by a few 
of the ships and some sharp work by the troops on shore. Our 
orders were to take a position opposite a battery of nine inch 
Krupp guns, the strongest in Hne of defense, but not to fire unless 
they fired at us and as no shots were fired from that battery we did 
not fire any, but if we did not fire the moral effect of our presence 
was a great one and a large factor in the surrender, for the Spanish 
authorities openly say they fear the fleet more than the army. 
About 5 p. m. the City had been surrendered to Admiral Dewey, 
the United States troops marched in and the United States Flag 
hoisted over the most prominent objects was saluted by all the 
ifleet. It may seem strange to you, but we have very few details 
among us of all that has taken place here in the past few days, 
and you will be able to get fuller accounts from the newspapers 
than any I can learn. We see very little of other ships' officers 
and are practically cut off from any means of getting reliable in- 
formation. This we do know, that the mere presence of our 
ships here has been a very deciding factor in several important 
points, both as regards the Spaniards and the actions of some of 
the foreign powers who have shown a very amazing attitude to- 
w^ards our Admiral. We fully expected to have a fight and were 
all stripped down to it and to say all hands were disappointed in 
not getting at least one shot is putting it mildly. 

I should have said the Admiral waited for our ship, the troops 
and the "Monadnock" before demanding the surrender of the 
City, but decided to act as soon after we arrived as he could get 
his troops into position, without waiting for the "Monadnock." 
During the first hours of the fight, I of course was at my station be- 
low, but learning that the forts were not shooting at us I went 
out on deck to see the other ships fire, and saw several shots hit 
the old fort then being attacked by them, and afterwards saw 
the troops make the charge that captured it and then make their 
way through the fort we held our guns on, and so on to the city. 
It seemed so strange for so many of our people to be out on deck 
watching the fight and not in it to any active extent. The crew 
were very enthusiastic about it all and every man came off the 
sick list that morning, some of them hardly able to get about 
(there were but four or five in all on the sick list) as all wanted 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 131 

to have a hand in the fight. This afternoon the Admiral granted 
permission for the officers to go ashore. I could not go as I had 
some important work to look after but the accounts from those 
who did go were interesting. Our troops have quiet possession of 
everything and keep regular police force on duty to keep order. 
The Spanish troops were being disarmed and were then quar- 
tered in the Churches and Public Buildings. There seemed to be 
the best of feeling on all sides and everything is as orderly as could 
be desired. The only trouble to be found is from the Insurgents 
who are desirous of getting control of affairs to set up their own 
Government, but I doubt if they give much trouble. Many of 
the shops were open and the others would have been had it not 
been a great Church Festival day. General Merritt who became 
Governor General is to issue his proclamation on the 16th, and 
start the Government under his control at once, and I have no 
doubt all will go on in an orderly systematic manner. 

Aug. I6th. 

This morning a special steamer sent by the Consul at Hong 
Kong from that place with despatches arrived and we learn hos- 
tilities have been suspended from the 13th. We are now glad we 
had some part, if only a moral one, in the taking of the City. 
They brought very little other news and no mail to speak of. 
No letters for me. This afternoon the Monitor "Monadnock" 
arrived in port with her consort the "Nero." The moral efl^ect 
of two strong Monitors with six, ten inch and two twelve inch 
modern guns will make some of the foreigners who have been 
ugly change their tune. It is said here, that before we arrived 
they were told by our Admiral he was ready to fight if they did 
not heed his position of conqueror. I don't think they will be 
ugly any more as they know now it was no bluff about our com- 
ing, which they had openly boasted was the case. We are both 
here and much in evidence. 



132 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

U. S. Monterey, 

Manila Bay, Philippine Islands. 
August 30, 1898. 

We have no regular mails as yet established but they go by 
any steamer that chances to leave. 

We are anchored off Cavite awaiting the outcome of the 
peace negotiations. I have been up to Manila City and find all 
there going along in good order. The Americans are to be seen 
everywhere. Our soldiers are a rough looking set as far as clothes 
and military airs go, but magnificent physically. 

A funny thing happened a few days ago, a United States 
sentry, a strapping big fellow from Oregon, was on one of the 
bridges over the river, when an insurgent met a Spanish officer 
and spat in his face. He appealed to the sentry to have the fellow 
arrested but instead of doing so he asked the Spanish officer to hold 
his gun and then taking hold of the saucy insurgent tossed him 
over the bridge into the river, took his gun and saluted the 
Spanish officer, while the astonished officer walked along with 
wonderment in his face. 

U. S. S. Monterey, 

Manila Bay, Philippine Islands. 
Oct. 7, 1898. 

I have been out of the ship but a few times, having to go on 
shore to the navy yard to look after some work there. By the 
Navy Yard I mean the one captured from the Spanish which we 
now have in full blast. It is really a very good one, has railway 
steps for hauling out small ships, good shops of all kinds and we 
captured a large lot of material which we are using. Seven 
hundred men are employed there; mostly men who worked there 
before the war. 

We await the action of the Peace Commission, as it will af- 
fect our movements no doubt. We have the promise of going 
to Hong Kong with the ships about December 1st. 

I was weighed a few days ago and have gained eight of the 
fifty pounds I lost between "Frisco" and Manila. 



COMMODORE H. N. STEVENSON 133 

U. S. S. Monterey, 

Manila Bay, Philippine Islands. 
December, 1898. 

Since my last letter we have remained quietly at anchor oflF 
the navy yard at Cavite, our Captain being in charge and a 
number of our officers and crew employed there all the time. 

Six of the ships sunk here on May 1st and August 13th, have 
been raised. Three of them were small regular men of war and 
will be refitted for our use. They will be of great service as they 
are just the size needed for use among the islands. The other 
three are smaller but will be useful for work about the bay. A 
lot of steam launches w^ere captured with the navy yard and are 
in use by our forces. From our anchorage we can see eight sunk- 
en hulks that at one time formed the Spanish fleet, which Admiral 
Dewey sank on May 1st. None of these vessels are worth rais- 
ing and refitting as they are so badly damaged that it would not 
pay for the expense. 

Matters in the city are moving along smoothly, and I have 
no fear that the insurgents under Aguinaldo will make any 
serious trouble when we are once in complete control. My idea 
is they are striving to make a show so as to get something from 
us when the final settlement comes. They have been very quiet 
about here, but some of the other islands have been fighting the 
Spanish troops very hard. A few days ago a regiment with some 
men of war w^ent to Iloilo on account of the trouble there. 

We are now living nicely, plenty of ice, mutton, vegetables, 
etc., thanks to the ships that bring them from Australia. The 
fruits here are very good. There are many varieties of bananas, 
some of them with delicious peculiar flavors I have never found 
in any other part of the world. I always keep some at hand in 
my room to nibble on and am very fond of them. Mangoes are 
coming into season and I find them good. I have never cared 
for them in other parts of the world but these I like and experts 
say they are the best found anywhere. The papaya (kind of 
melon, also fruit of a tree) is very good once in a while. Oranges 
and lemons and also limes are poor because they have never been 
cultivated. The limes of the Lodrones (Guan) were the largest 
and richest I have ever seen. Pineapples are not yet in season, 



134 JOURNAL AND LETTERS 

and I have not yet seen an Avocado or Alligator pear, the special 
favorite of all the tropical fruits. We have had some barrels 
of apples sent from California that brought up home memories. 
The weather during December has been much cooler with 
very little rain. On Christmas day the lowest temperature was 
seventy-four at night, warmest eighty-six during the afternoon. 
We had a Christmas dinner, with some of our officers' wives for 
guests (many officers have their families here now) and served a 
real native turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin (native) pie, etc. 
We had a delightful time and it was a pleasant break in the 
monotony of our quiet days. 



